A Delhi court on Monday extended the National Investigation Agency’s custody of three doctors and a preacher, arrested in connection with the November 10 Red Fort blast, by four more days.
The accused — Dr Muzammil Ganai, Dr Adeel Rather, Dr Shaheena Saeed, and Maulvi Irfan Ahmed Wagay — were produced before Principal and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna after the completion of the 10-day custody period granted to the NIA on November 29.
The proceedings took place under heavy security inside the Patiala House Courts complex. Journalists were not allowed to enter the courtroom or cover the proceedings.
The NIA has so far arrested seven individuals in connection with the blast, which the agency has linked to what it describes as a “white-collar” terror module first uncovered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
In an earlier statement, the agency said it continues to pursue “various leads in connection with the suicide bombing” and is carrying out searches across multiple states with the assistance of local police “to identify and track others involved in the gruesome attack.”
On November 10, an explosives-laden Hyundai i20 detonated outside the Red Fort, killing 15 people and leaving several others injured. The vehicle was allegedly being driven by Dr Umar-un-Nabi, who the agency believes was the key planner of the operation.
Previous reports indicated that the group had been searching for a suicide bomber since last year and was being operated with a high degree of sophistication attributed to its composition and planning.
The investigation remains ongoing. The four accused will remain in NIA custody as the agency continues its probe into the blast and the network behind it.
