Trying to trace the exact sequence of events leading up to the blast near the Red Fort, investigators have prepared a detailed list of every vehicle that entered the parking area where the car involved in the blast was parked for three hours. An official gave this information on Saturday.
The official said investigators are tracing the registration numbers of these vehicles and questioning their drivers and owners about whether they had seen the Haryana-registered Hyundai i20 that was involved in the blast.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police has registered a separate FIR under sections related to criminal conspiracy to probe the deeper conspiracy behind the blast. The FIR, lodged earlier under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, was transferred to the National Investigation Agency.
Sources said that when Dr. Umar Nabi, the driver of the car involved in the blast, parked it in the parking lot on Monday, there were many vehicles parked around it. A source said, “Every driver present there at that time is being traced to know whether they had seen the HR-26 car, how many people were in it and whether anyone else was with Umar.”
An official said investigators showed Omar’s photograph to drivers to determine whether he was alone in the car or whether anyone else had entered or exited the vehicle during its three-hour stay in the parking area.
The objective is to find out what exactly happened during those three hours, the official said. Also, its purpose is to verify whether an explosive device was placed inside the car in the parking lot. The investigating agency is also probing whether the arrested doctor Dr Muzammil Ganai was in regular touch with a group of doctors associated with Al Falah University in Haryana’s Faridabad district.
According to sources, at least 15 doctors associated with the university and who were in touch with Dr. Muzammil are currently missing.
A source said, “The call detail records have revealed several conversations between Dr Muzammil and several doctors. When the agency tried to contact those doctors, their phones were found switched off. A team sent to Al Falah University for questioning found that most of the doctors were missing.” Investigations are underway to find out whether these missing people had any role in planning or executing the alleged terrorist plot.
On November 10, the agencies had busted a “white-collar terrorist module” spread across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, recovered 2,900 kg of explosives and arrested eight people, including three doctors. A few hours later, a massive explosion took place in a slow moving car near Delhi’s Red Fort metro station, killing 13 people and injuring many others.