Red Fort blast: i20 driver got Rs 20 Lakh hawala funding and stocked fertilisers before explosion

The explosion came hours after eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives were seized with the busting of a “white collar” terror module linked to Jaish e Mohammad.

The driver of the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort earlier this week allegedly received Rs 20 lakh through illegal hawala channels as funding, investigations into the terror attack have revealed, NDTV reported. The blast has claimed 13 lives so far.

According to NDTV, the accused, Umar Mohammad alias Umar Nabi, also purchased large quantities of fertilisers in cash from a market in Haryana’s Nuh district. Sources told the channel that several hawala dealers have been detained for interrogation as agencies map the financial trail.

On Monday evening, a white Hyundai i20 exploded at a parking lot near the Red Fort, injuring at least 20 people and damaging several nearby vehicles. The sudden blast triggered chaos as people rushed to assist the injured.

The explosion came hours after eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives were seized with the busting of a “white collar” terror module linked to Jaish e Mohammad and Ansar Ghazwat ul Hind, spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

To piece together the events leading up to the blast, investigators have compiled a list of all vehicles that entered the parking area where the i20 was stationed for nearly three hours, according to NDTV. CCTV footage from the Red Fort Metro station is being analysed, capturing the moments just before and after the explosion. Officers are also showing Mohammad’s photograph to drivers and vehicle owners to verify any interactions while the car was parked.

Apart from Mohammad, former doctors Muzammil Ganaie and Shaheen Sayeed, both linked to Al Falah University, have been arrested. Investigators recovered 360 kg of ammonium nitrate from the college.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has registered two FIRs against Al Falah University on charges of cheating and forgery, following regulatory violations flagged by the University Grants Commission and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Statutory bodies highlighted major irregularities in the functioning of the institution, prompting further action.