New Delhi, Nov 13 (UNI) Multiple central security agencies, including the NIA and the CBI, besides crack police teams from several states, joined the probe into Monday’s Delhi car bomb blast as the toll reached 14 and sleuths found the conspirators’ links to the Pakistan-based subversive group Jaish-e-Mohammad, sources said Thursday.
Intelligence agencies also claimed that the plotters – the ‘Doctor Terror Module’ – had planned attacks in Delhi on December 6, the day the Babri “mosque” was demolished 33 years back.
Meanwhile, with the death of another blast victim on Thursday morning, the toll rose to 14, with over 25 others injured. The deceased was identified as Bilal, Delhi Police officials stated. A severed hand was also found on the roof of a gate in a market located within 500 metres of the blast.
Amidst a widening probe into the blast that took place near the iconic Red Fort on November 10, government sources indicated that the federal money laundering probe agency, Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also been pressed into service to check the financial aspect of the conspiracy.
On Thursday, the National Investigation Agency, and elite police teams from Haryana, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, besides the Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) conducted incessant search operations which resulted in the detention of a few more suspect doctors.
They also seized four vehicles which were allegedly used in the blast that sent shockwaves through the country. The investigations have linked the vehicles to the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror module.
The investigators have claimed that the Doctor Terror Module had planned an operation on December 6, the day the disputed structure in Ayodhya was demolished by a mob in 1992.
Sources said eight doctors were initially part of the Terror Module. They had to carry out attacks on 32 locations in the entire NCR on December 6.
One of the vehicles – a Swift Dzire – the first to be seized and from which weapons were recovered, was registered in the name of Dr. Shaheen Shahid but was used by Dr. Mujammil Ahamed. The second car – an i20 – was allegedly used in the blast.
Sources claimed that the key accused Dr. Mujammil, Dr. Adil Ahamed, Dr. Umar un Nabi and Dr. Shaheen collectively pooled approximately Rs 20 lakh in cash, which was handed over to Dr. Umar.
A portion of these funds, about Rs 3 lakh, was later used to purchase more than 20 quintals of NPK fertiliser from areas in Gurugram and Nuh to prepare the IED used in the blast. Investigators also claimed to have uncovered a financial dispute over the money between Dr. Umar and Dr. Mujammil.
Dr. Umar had created a secret group on the encrypted messaging app Signal, which included 2-4 members, to plan the operations.
Dr Adil, whose arrest led agencies to the Faridabad terror module, had recently travelled to the national capital.
Investigators claimed that he flew from Srinagar to Delhi on October 11, just before the alleged events unfolded.
Dr Shaheen was detained from Lucknow, and Dr. Farooq from GS Medical College, Hapur. Dr. Farooq had previously studied at Al-Falah University in Haryana’s Faribdabad. The university has come under the scanner after the deadly blast.
Earlier in the day, the agencies examined the recovered diaries belonging to Dr. Umar Nabi and Dr. Mujammil from their room in the Al Falah University, and claimed that code words, especially about an operation, were written in the diary.
“The diaries were found on Tuesday and Wednesday inside the campus of Al Falah University. One was recovered from Dr. Umar’s room number 4, and another from Dr. Mujammil’s room number 13,” said a source.
The second diary was recovered from a room used by Mujammil.
“The recovered diaries and notebooks contain coded words, with references pointing to dates between November 8 and November 12. They have written the word “Operation” multiple times in the diaries,” said the source.
In view of the blast, the authorities have issued a security advisory in the National Capital, urging commuters to factor in extra time for their journeys.
