Amir Rashid Ali, the accused in the Red Fort terror blast case, was brought before Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Monday after being arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday. The court granted the NIA ten days’ custody of Ali, who was escorted out of the courtroom under tight security. Ali was produced before the Principal District and Sessions Judge, with the media barred from entry. Authorities said his appearance at Patiala House was part of ongoing judicial proceedings following his arrest, which marked a major breakthrough in the investigation of the deadly attack that rocked the national capital on 10 November.
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The NIA revealed that Ali, a resident of Samboora in Pampore, Jammu and Kashmir, played a key role in orchestrating the terror attack that killed 13 people and injured 32. Investigators said he collaborated with the alleged suicide bomber, Umar Un Nabi, to execute the plot. Ali reportedly traveled to Delhi to assist in purchasing the vehicle that was later fitted with an improvised explosive device (IED) and detonated near the Red Fort. Forensic analysis confirmed that the driver of the vehicle-borne IED was Umar Un Nabi, a Pulwama resident and Assistant Professor in the General Medicine Department at Al Falah University in Faridabad. Another vehicle belonging to Nabi has also been seized and is undergoing forensic examination. The NIA has examined 73 witnesses so far, including survivors of the blast.
Authorities are now pursuing multiple leads to uncover the broader network behind the attack. The NIA is coordinating closely with Delhi Police, Jammu & Kashmir Police, Haryana Police, Uttar Pradesh Police, and other agencies in a multi-state probe. Faridabad Police have intensified questioning of Kashmiri students and tenants living on rent in the city, investigating possible links to the so-called "white collar terror module" connected to the blast. According to officials, over 2,000 tenants and students have been questioned so far, with further questioning ongoing. Investigations initially revealed connections to Al-Falah University, where caches of arms, explosives, and ammonium nitrate were discovered. The probe continues across Delhi, Faridabad, and Jammu & Kashmir, as agencies work to identify additional conspirators and dismantle the terror network responsible for the deadly attack.