Encrypted groups of doctors under watch in Red Fort blast inquiry

Teams are in UP, Bihar and Uttarakhand to verify identities as many users relied on pseudonyms and discussions were tightly moderated.

Delhi Police are probing two “closed user groups” on encrypted messaging apps, created in 2021 and comprising members from the medical fraternity. While their link to the Red Fort blast module is still unclear, investigators said they have fanned out across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Uttarakhand to trace the members and examine their possible connection to the larger conspiracy.

None of the seven have ties to Al Falah University even as it remains central to the broader probe into the alleged white collar network. (Shutterstock)

At least seven members of these groups – most of them medical professionals – are under the scanner of the Delhi Police special cell teams assisting the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in the blast probe, officers aware of the matter said. None of the seven have any connection with Al-Falah University, which has emerged as the focal point of the multi-agency investigation after the alleged “white-collar” terror network was traced to the campus and to Umar Un Nabi — the 35-year-old doctor-turned suicide bomber.

Teams are currently camping in Deoband and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, and in parts of Bihar and Uttarakhand, to identify, track and question the seven suspects believed to be linked to Nabi, a doctor from Jammu and Kashmir, at least two people aware of the matter said.

“We have found that the Telegram and Signal groups were tightly controlled spaces with restricted membership and guarded conversations. The Telegram group was created in 2021 – a year after the northeast Delhi riots. Its timing has prompted investigators to examine whether the polarisation and tension following the riots played a role in drawing these individuals together,” a senior officer said.

Another officer said investigators are still working to confirm the real identities of the members, many of whom used pseudonyms and code words. While some information from the Telegram has helped police narrow down the seven suspects, they are yet to receive data from the second platform.

“Retrieving older chats from 2021 and 2022 is almost impossible, but investigators are trying to piece together how the groups formed, how members found each other, who moderated discussions, and what was being exchanged,” the officer added.