The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has reported a significant development in the investigation of the fatal car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, with the detention of a Faridabad resident accused of providing critical aid to the bomber just before the attack. The suspect, identified as Soyab from Dhauj in Faridabad, is the seventh person to be arrested in connection with the incident. Investigators assert that Soyab sheltered the suicide attacker, Umar Un Nabi, and facilitated logistical support in the hours immediately preceding the November 10 blast, which tragically claimed 15 lives and injured over two dozen people.
According to the NIA, this latest arrest is crucial as it reinforces their comprehension of the broader network implicated in what is considered one of the capital’s most serious recent terror incidents. The agency stated that multiple teams are actively pursuing leads and conducting searches across several states with the cooperation of local police to locate additional conspirators involved in the plot. Six alleged associates of Nabi had been taken into custody earlier this month, a group that included medical professionals from Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh, who investigators believe were integral to the planning phase of the attack. These six were formally arrested in Srinagar following court production orders.
Prior to the arrest of the six associates and the newly detained Soyab, two other suspects had been taken into custody during the initial stages of the probe: Amir Rashid Ali, in whose name the blast vehicle was registered, and Jasir Bilal Wani, who allegedly provided technical support. The NIA intends to bring the newly arrested accused face-to-face with the six individuals already in custody as part of the ongoing investigative process.
Forensic analysis confirmed that the Hyundai i20 utilized in the explosion was driven by the suicide bomber, Umar Un Nabi. A second vehicle connected to Nabi has been seized by authorities for thorough examination. Investigators have so far questioned 73 witnesses, including survivors of the blast. The Union Home Ministry transferred the case to the NIA the day after the explosion. The agency is continuing its coordination with police forces across Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh as it intensifies its efforts to dismantle the entire module responsible for the bombing.
