Red Fort Blast Case: Delhi Court Extends Judicial Custody of Seven Accused Till Jan 8

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of seven accused in the Red Fort blast case by 15 days, remanding them to jail till January 8.

Additional Sessions Judge Prashant Sharma remanded Dr Adeel Rather, Dr Muzammil Ganaie, Dr Shaheen Saeed, Maulvi Irfan Ahmed Wagay, Jasir Bilal Wani, Amir Rashid Ali and Soyab in judicial custody after they were produced before the Patiala House Court on the expiry of their previous remand.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) produced the accused amid tight security, while media-persons were barred from covering the court proceedings.

Earlier, three doctors and Wagay were sent to 12 days of judicial custody on December 12, while Ali and Wani were remanded to 14 days of judicial custody on December 10. Soyab was sent to five days of judicial custody on December 19.

According to PTI, the NIA has claimed that a sophisticated terror module allegedly led by a group of doctors had been scouting for a suicide bomber since last year, with Umar-un-Nabi identified as the key planner.

Umar-un-Nabi was driving the explosive-laden Hyundai i20 that detonated outside the Red Fort on November 10. Amir Rashid Ali was arrested on November 16 for allegedly facilitating the purchase of the car used as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED).

Jasir Bilal Wani was arrested on November 17 for allegedly providing technical support, including modifying drones and attempting to manufacture rockets ahead of the blast. Officials said Wani admitted to having met the so-called “doctor module” at a mosque in Kulgam district of Kashmir in October last year.

Soyab was arrested on November 26 for allegedly providing logistical support to Umar-un-Nabi prior to the blast. The NIA also arrested Dr Naseer Bilal Malla from Delhi on December 9, terming him a key conspirator accused of harbouring Umar-un-Nabi, providing logistical support and destroying evidence.

On December 18, the agency arrested the ninth accused, Yasir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir and a close associate of Umar-un-Nabi. The NIA alleged that Dar was an active participant in the conspiracy and had taken an oath to carry out self-sacrificial operations. (Agencies)