The NIA has arrested nine people in connection with the Red Fort blast case that left 13 dead and several injured after a Hyundai i20 exploded near the Lal Qila Metro station on November 10 last year. (File Photo)
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Tuesday said it needs to decipher “code words” used by the accused persons in the Red Fort blast terror module case while seeking an extension of custody of five accused before a Delhi court.
“The NIA seeks custodial interrogation of the above-mentioned accused persons… for explaining code words and other incriminating material that has surfaced… after forensic examination of digital devices of accused persons and extracted data recovered at the instance of above said accused persons during their previous police custody period,” the NIA said in its remand papers submitted before Principal District and Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna of Patiala House Court.
Judge Chandna said, “… NIA is granted further custody of accused persons Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay, Jasir Bilal Wani alias Danish, Ahmad Dr Adeel Rather, Dr Shaheen Saeed, Dr Muzamil Shakeel Ganie for three days till January 16.”
As per the agency, all the arrested persons were connected to Umar Nabi, the man allegedly behind the wheel of the i20 car. Officials had confirmed he was driving the car after DNA samples were taken from his mother.
The NIA also said it wanted to unearth the overall “larger conspiracy” hatched by the accused persons.
In its remand papers, the agency said: “The accused persons are required to be confronted with co-accused persons, suspects, and certain witnesses… who are believed to possess exclusive knowledge of facts and circumstances of the case… to carry out crime simulation and point out remaining places in J&K, UP and NCR… which have been revealed by witnesses.”
It also said it wanted to “identify additional associates/conspirators and trace the flow of communications and movements linked to the present case”.
The NIA, which was handed over the investigation by the Union Home Ministry, is working closely with various state police forces to track and arrest everyone behind the blast. It is also closely tracking everyone Umar contacted over the last few months.
Umar is suspected to be the leader of the “white-collar group” of doctors, part of a terror module that was busted days before the Red Fort explosion.
Currently, all the accused are in the NIA’s custody and the agency is interrogating them.
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