NEW DELHI: A Special Court in Delhi on Tuesday extended the National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody of Red Fort blast accused Amir Rashid Ali, the registered owner of the car used in the explosion, by another seven days. Ali was produced before the court for an in-camera hearing following the completion of his initial custodial period granted on November 26.
According to the NIA, Ali had personally travelled to Delhi earlier to purchase the white Hyundai i20 that was later used in the November 10 blast near the Red Fort, which killed 13 people and injured several others. The agency claims his role is critical to understanding the procurement and movement of the vehicle involved in the terror attack.
The court had already extended the NIA custody of four other accused — Dr Muzammil Shakeel, Dr Shaheen Saeed, Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay, and Dr Adeel Ahmed Rather — by 10 days on Saturday as investigators seek more time to unravel what they describe as a sophisticated “white-collar” terror network linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed. With Ali’s extension, the total number of arrests in the case has reached seven, including earlier detainees who allegedly provided technical and logistical support to the main accused.
The NIA continues to piece together evidence of an interstate module believed to have coordinated the planning and execution of the deadly explosion.
