Red Fort blast: Suspects pooled in over Rs 26 lakh to buy materials for bomb-making
Investigators believe the raised funds were part of a larger, well-coordinated terror conspiracy
The investigation into the devastating blast near Delhi’s Red Fort has peeled back another chilling layer. Officials on Thursday revealed that the group of doctors arrested in connection with the so-called “white-collar terror module” had collectively raised over Rs 26 lakh to fund the attack’s execution.
According to investigators, the four accused — Dr. Muzammil Ganaie, Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather, Dr. Shaheen Sayeed, and Dr. Umar Nabi — pooled the amount entirely in cash, entrusting Dr. Umar with its safekeeping and operational use.
Dr. Umar, a native of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir and an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Haryana’s Faridabad, was allegedly at the wheel of the white Hyundai i20 that exploded in the bustling Red Fort area on Monday evening, leaving a trail of chaos and fear.
Investigators believe the raised funds were part of a larger, well-coordinated terror conspiracy. With the money, the group reportedly procured about 26 quintals of NPK fertiliser — a key component in the manufacture of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) — from suppliers across Gurugram, Nuh, and nearby towns. The consignment, valued at around ₹3 lakh, has become a crucial lead in the probe.
“The purchase of such a massive quantity of fertiliser cannot be incidental,” a senior official said. “We are scrutinising every financial transaction, delivery record, and supplier connection linked to the group.”
Sources added that tensions had begun brewing within the module in the days before the blast, with Dr. Umar and Dr. Muzammil reportedly clashing over the handling of funds. Investigators are now exploring whether this internal rift altered the group’s plans or influenced the timing of the explosion.
As the investigation deepens, what initially appeared to be a meticulously clinical operation is now unmasking a disturbing alliance of intellect and ideology — a reminder that terror can sometimes wear the most respectable of faces.
With PTI inputs