Delhi court extends NIA custody of 3 doctors, preacher in Red Fort blast case by 4 days

A Delhi court on Monday extended by four days the National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody of three doctors and a preacher arrested in connection with the 10 November Red Fort blast case.

Principal and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna passed the order after all four accused — Dr Muzammil Ganai, Dr Adeel Rather, Dr Shaheena Saeed and Maulvi Irfan Ahmed Wagay — were produced on the expiry of their 10-day custodial remand granted on 29 November.

The proceedings took place under tight security at the Patiala House district court complex, where mediapersons were barred from entering the courtroom.

The NIA has so far arrested seven people in the case, which investigators have linked to a “white-collar” terror module uncovered earlier by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

According to the agency, it is pursuing multiple leads related to the suicide attack and conducting searches in coordination with police forces across several states to identify additional individuals involved.

The 10 November explosion was triggered by an explosives-laden Hyundai i20 driven by Dr Umar-un-Nabi, who died in the detonation. Fifteen people were killed and several injured in the blast outside the Red Fort.

PTI had earlier reported that the module, allegedly spearheaded by a group of doctors, had been scouting for a suicide bomber since last year. Umar is believed to have been the key planner and executor of the attack.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the professional backgrounds of several suspects and the nature of the network involved. The NIA is expected to seek further custodial interrogation as it pieces together the funding, planning and recruitment mechanisms behind the attack.