Initial investigations suggest that four doctors from the Al Falah institution pooled around Rs 26–30 lakh to procure materials used in the deadly explosion near the Red Fort. It has come to light that the four doctors reportedly planned the attack within the premises of the university.
The four suspects — identified as Dr Muzammil Ganaie, Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, Dr Shaheen Sayeed and Dr Umar Nabi — allegedly contributed cash to the fund, which was handed over to Dr Umar for safekeeping. The accused are said to have purchased around 26 quintals of NPK fertiliser from markets in Gurugram, Nuh and other nearby towns. The fertiliser, when mixed with specific chemicals, can be used to manufacture Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), according to sources. Officials said the procurement of such a large quantity of fertiliser has become a crucial lead in the ongoing investigation, with financial transactions and delivery records now under verification.
Preliminary reports indicate that the group had also planned a series of coordinated blasts across the National Capital Region on 6 December — the anniversary of the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya.
A room within the university premises is believed to have served as a meeting point for the suspects. Dr Umar and his associates allegedly met secretly in Building 17, Room 13, which belonged to Dr Muzammil. Investigators suspect that it was in this room that the accused planned not only the Red Fort blast but also other potential attacks in Delhi and parts of Uttar Pradesh.
Police believe the group initially planned to smuggle chemicals from the university laboratory, located only a few metres from Dr Muzammil’s room. Dr Umar and Dr Shaheen, both faculty members, reportedly arranged for the chemicals, which were later stored at rented properties in Dhauj and Taga villages in Faridabad.
Sources said Dr Muzammil’s room has since been sealed, with investigators recovering several electronic devices, pen drives and chemical residues. Forensic experts have also seized digital data from the room and the university laboratory. Investigators suspect that small quantities of ammonium nitrate were mixed with oxidisers to produce explosives.
On Wednesday, a joint team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police visited the Al-Falah Medical College campus and instructed the management to hand over all staff and student-related documents for scrutiny. “The NIA has asked for complete records from 2019 onwards — including faculty recruitment, attendance registers, salary details, ID proofs and address verification of staff,” a senior police officer said.
“A dedicated team will now examine these records to identify any irregularities in hiring or funding,” the officer added. Officials familiar with the case confirmed that several faculty members and students are being questioned to determine how individuals with suspected terror links — including Dr Mohammad Umar Un Nabi, Dr Muzammil and Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan — were employed at the university. Dr Nisar, who joined the institution in 2022, had earlier been dismissed by the Jammu and Kashmir administration under Article 311(2)(c) for alleged anti-national activities. His daughter is reportedly enrolled as a first-year student at the same university.
Officials said personal diaries and notebooks recovered during recent searches have been seized for forensic analysis. Investigators believe these may contain handwritten notes, financial records and coded entries suggesting communication and funding trails.
“The contents of the recovered diaries are being carefully analysed and could offer critical insights into the financial and operational links,” said an officer involved in the investigation.
The NIA is also examining the university’s financial operations, including salary disbursements and payment methods used for staff members under investigation. The management has been asked to provide details of bank accounts, salary transfers and any scholarships or stipends issued to students under scrutiny.
Senior NIA officials said the current focus is on tracing the flow of funds that may have supported radical activities under the guise of academic employment.
“Every financial and employment record will be independently verified. The objective is to determine whether the institution was systematically infiltrated or unknowingly harboured individuals with extremist affiliations,” an official stated.
Investigators added that the four doctors arrested in connection with what they described as a “white-collar terror module” had raised more than Rs 26 lakh to purchase materials used in the Red Fort blast. The funds, collected in cash, were entrusted to Dr Umar for operational purposes.
Dr Umar, a resident of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir and an assistant professor at Al Falah University in Faridabad, was allegedly driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort on Monday evening.
Authorities suspect the funds were part of a broader terror financing network. Using the pooled money, the suspects allegedly purchased NPK fertiliser worth around Rs 3 lakh from suppliers in Gurugram, Nuh and nearby towns.
Police sources said the large-scale procurement of fertiliser is a major lead in the ongoing investigation. They also revealed that Umar and Muzammil had a disagreement over fund management in the days before the blast, and investigators are now examining whether this dispute affected the timing or execution of the attack.
