The probe into the fatal car blast near the Red Fort intensified with the detention of three more doctors connected with Al-Falah University in Faridabad by the National Investigation Agency and Jammu & Kashmir Police for interrogation. Simultaneously, authorities confirmed that the two-storey house of the prime suspect and car driver, Dr. Umar un-Nabi, in Pulwama, J&K, was demolished late Thursday night.
Now, the probe focuses heavily on the communication methods used by the suspected module and the financial background of the university at the heart of the controversy.
Three Doctors Detained; Links to Suspects Scrutinised
The three doctors detained on Friday were all recently affiliated with Al-Falah University, which now faces unprecedented scrutiny as several doctors already implicated or arrested in connection with the module have worked there.
Identities: The detainees were identified as Dr. Mushtakeem, a fresh intern at Al-Falah Medical College; Dr. Mohammad, a fresh graduate; and Dr. Rehaan Hayat, currently working at a private hospital in Tauru.
Key Contact: NIA officials said call detail records established frequent contact between the three detainees and the already-named suspects, Dr. Umar un-Nabi and Dr. Muzammil Shakeel.
Family Denial: Relatives of the arrested, including Dr. Mushtakeem’s uncle Permaal, vouched for their innocence, pointing to their disciplined upbringing.
Sophisticated Communication Methods Used
The module had a sophisticated mechanism, according to the investigators’ findings, meant to leave no digital footprint-a fact pointing to cautious planning by the suspects.
Draft Email Strategy: The accused members communicated using draft messages stored in a single shared email account. A sender would write a message, which the recipient would read and then delete so that no transmission record was created, making it much more difficult to trace.
Encrypted Apps: The module also employed highly encrypted applications like Signal and Threema for coordination.
Bomber’s Pulwama House Razed; University Scrutiny Deepens
In a major action undertaken by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, they demolished the family home of Dr. Umar un-Nabi in Koil village of Pulwama, using controlled explosives after evacuating the occupants.
Meanwhile, the focus on Al-Falah University has widened, with investigators dispatching teams to Madhya Pradesh.
Financial and Academic Mapping: Teams have reached Mhow, Madhya Pradesh, to collect information about the university’s chairman, Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, and his family, tracing any possible overlaps in their academic, financial, or personal links with the accused doctors.
Chairman’s Past: Police confirmed that Siddiqui was previously arrested in 2000 for alleged misappropriation of funds through shell companies registered under the Al-Falah name. The university’s legal advisor stated the institution is cooperating fully with the probe.
Action by NMC: The National Medical Council also reported on the cancellation of registration for four doctors associated with Al-Falah, namely, Dr. Muzaffar Ahmad, Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather, Dr. Muzammil Shakeel, and Dr. Shaheen Shahid.
