Red Fort blast: Role of rented i10 car in blast plot under lens

Officers from Delhi and Faridabad police said the car was rented and used between October 24 and 27, and could have beenused in the movement of ammonium nitrate and other chemicals later recovered from the Faridabad accommodation of key accused Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganaie.

Investigators probing the deadly blast near Delhi’s Red Fort suspect that a fifth vehicle – a rented Hyundai i10 – was used by the so-called “white collar” terror module to transport explosive material across Delhi-NCR in the days leading up to the attack. Officers from Delhi and Faridabad police said the car was rented and used between October 24 and 27, and could have beenused in the movement of ammonium nitrate and other chemicals later recovered from the Faridabad accommodation of key accused Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganaie.

Dr Muzammil and Dr Shaheen Shahid buying a Brezza in Faridabad on September 25.

The discovery brings the total number of vehicles used by the module to five: the i20 in which suicide bomber Umar un-Nabi died; the red EcoSport registered in Umar’s name later found in a Faridabad village; a white Swift Dzire owned by accused Dr Shaheen Shahid; a silver Maruti Brezza bought by Shahid on September 25; and now the rented i10 traced this week.

Special Cell officers said they suspect Umar used the i10 to transport large quantities of ammonium nitrate purchased from shops across Faridabad, Delhi and parts of Haryana. Days before the blast, police recovered around 2,900kg of explosive precursors from Ganaie’s room and other locations in Faridabad.

“We have traced the i10. It belongs to a taxi owner who rented it for three days. The man who took it refused a driver and paid between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000. We will now seize the vehicle, send it for forensic examination, and show the taxi owner and driver Umar’s photograph to confirm whether he was the one who took the car,” an investigator said.

The car had no GPS device, making route reconstruction difficult. Police teams are now scanning CCTV footage from outside fertiliser stores and chemical suppliers across Delhi-NCR to map the vehicle’s movement. A second senior officer said the probe is also examining whether multiple rented vehicles were used to move explosive materials. “Initial questioning (of Shahid) indicates he frequently rented cars without drivers. It appears likely that several vehicles were used over months,” the officer said.

The focus on another vehicle comes even as images circulating on social media on Monday showed Dr Shahid and Dr Muzammil standing beside a car seized earlier, the Brezza, on the day of its purchase. Police officials confirmed the photograph was genuine. Both doctors, and Adeel Rather, an associate based in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested in a probe triggered by anti-India posters that appeared in Nowgam, Srinagar. Subsequent raids led to the recovery of explosive precursors as well the arrest of a cleric based in Faridabad.

Delhi Police Special Cell officials said they have questioned more than 50 people in the last week to determine whether the module had additional associates in the Capital. “We are ensuring there are no remaining caches or individuals linked to Umar’s mission,” an officer said.

250 cases filed for not completing police verification

As part of a districtwide verification drive launched after the blast, Delhi Police have registered cases against 250 people in the north district for failing to complete the mandatory police verification process. “We have registered multiple FIRs after checking verification records of tenants, lodges and hotels. Most cases involve residents who did not comply with the mandatory verification norms,” DCP (North) Raja Banthia said.

“Multi-agency search and verification drives were launched on a war footing after the blast. Our teams have visited more than 2,000 houses, checked ID proofs and questioned several people. The process will continue,” he added. The offenders were booked under Section 223(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to disobedience of a lawful order issued by a public servant.