‘Dead Drop’: The secret email technique Delhi blast suspects used and how it kept their plans off the radar

A shared inbox, unsent drafts, and untraceable apps formed the core of the module’s communication network.

The Delhi Police investigation into the November 10 Red Fort blast, which killed 13 people, is now focusing on an unusually covert communication system allegedly used by the suspects: dead-drop emails, a method long associated with spy networks and militant groups.

According to sources quoted by NDTV, the accused, including doctors Muzammil Shakeel, Umar Mohammad, and Shaheed Saeed, relied on a shared email account where messages were never sent. Instead, plans were typed as saved drafts, and others logged in to read or update the content. Because nothing was transmitted, the communication left almost no digital footprint.

The ‘dead drop’ method and why it mattered

For investigators, the use of a single inbox with draft-only instructions indicates deliberate attempts to avoid detection.

This system sits alongside the use of Threema, Telegram, and several other encrypted or low-traceability platforms, a layered digital shield built to make surveillance difficult.

Sources told NDTV that this pattern of communication is one reason agencies believe the suspects may be linked to a Jaish-e-Mohammad-inspired module operating around Delhi, Faridabad, and parts of Uttar Pradesh.

A network built around doctors who knew each other offline

The three doctors under the scanner reportedly held closed-door meetings inside Muzammil’s room at Al Falah University, where investigators believe multiple plot discussions took place.

Police say the module was planning several explosions in Delhi, and the Red Fort blast may have been triggered in panic after Muzammil and Saeed were arrested shortly before November 10.

Umar Mohammad confirmed as the driver

Investigators have confirmed that Umar Mohammad drove the i20 car that exploded near Red Fort. The registration details, along with CCTV footage from Asaf Ali Road and adjacent areas, place him near the spot shortly before the blast.

After the arrest of his associates, Umar allegedly went underground, a move investigators believe was coordinated through the very digital channels designed to be untraceable.

Raids reveal explosives, weapons, and materials

The Jammu and Kashmir Police had earlier arrested two of the doctors and uncovered nearly 3,000 kg of explosives, bomb-making material, and a substantial cache of devices and components during raids at properties rented around Delhi.

A rifle and ammunition were also recovered from Shaheed Saeed’s car.

Investigators now piecing together the wider network

The ongoing probe is trying to map:
– how deeply the suspects were connected to external handlers,
– how many students or associates they reached through campus spaces,
– and how the draft-email method was integrated with other encrypted channels.

The investigation is not only reconstructing the timeline between October 30 (when Muzammil was arrested) and November 10, but also examining whether the group had support from outside NCR.