The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday announced the arrest of one of the alleged main conspirators behind the deadly Red Fort blast, identifying him as a plumber from Jammu & Kashmir who owned the Hyundai i20 car that exploded near the historic monument on 10 November. The blast, triggered near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro station, killed 11 people and left several others injured. For the first time, the agency officially described the driver of the car as a “suicide bomber.”

The arrested man, identified as Amir Rashid Ali, is a resident of Samboora in Pampore and the registered owner of the ill-fated Hyundai i20. According to the agency, Ali allegedly collaborated with Dr Umar Un Nabi, the man who was driving the vehicle when it exploded, in what investigators now call a planned “vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED)” attack.

NIA confirms suicide bomber, vehicle-borne IED

In its statement, the NIA said the blast was carried out using a car that had been retrofitted and sold multiple times before eventually being purchased for the attack. The agency confirmed that forensic examinations established the identity of the deceased driver as Dr Umar Un Nabi, an Assistant Professor in General Medicine at Al Falah University and a resident of Pulwama district.

This marks the first time investigators have definitively termed the blast a suicide attack, drawing parallels with tactics used in previous terror incidents, including the 2019 Pulwama bombing.

The NIA also disclosed that it has seized an additional vehicle belonging to Umar, which is currently being analysed for further evidence. So far, the agency has examined 73 witnesses, including several injured survivors.

Ali accompanied suicide bomber days before attack

Investigators said that Ali was one of two men who accompanied Umar in the Hyundai i20 when it visited a petrol pump in Faridabad’s Sector 27 for a pollution-under-control (PUC) certificate on 29 October. The third man was identified as Sonu, an employee of the second-hand car dealership from where the vehicle was purchased. Ali was detained by the J&K Police a day after the blast, before the NIA formally took over the probe.

The car—bearing registration number HR26CE7674—was a slow-moving vehicle when it exploded at around 6:52 pm on Netaji Subhash Marg near the Lal Quila Metro station. The blast caused a massive fire that charred at least 11 people, many of whom were trapped in traffic at the busy signal.

Multiple vehicles seized as part of wider probe

As part of the investigation, the NIA has previously seized several vehicles, including a silver Maruti Brezza, a red Ford EcoSport and a Maruti Swift Dzire. These vehicles are being examined to understand the logistics behind transporting materials, suspects and equipment.

According to officials, the car used in the blast had been sold multiple times, raising concerns that the attackers deliberately used a vehicle with a complex ownership trail to complicate investigation efforts.

Security sources described the emerging picture as a “white-collar terror network” operating across Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The module reportedly included individuals with legitimate professions, clean records and access to financial resources.

Delhi Police Special Cell probing broader conspiracy

Separately, the Delhi Police Special Cell has registered an FIR to investigate the larger criminal conspiracy that may have enabled the attack. This includes examining whether the suspects procured explosives and vehicles with the intent of executing a suicide attack similar in method to high-profile terror incidents in the past.

Officials familiar with the investigation said teams are analysing mobile phones, bank transactions, communication patterns and travel routes of suspects. They are also probing how the module may have arranged funds and whether there are possible foreign links behind the operation.

Multi-agency coordination underway

A senior officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said multiple teams from central agencies and state police forces are following leads across states.

“The investigation remains active and multi-layered, with the focus on identifying additional suspects, funding channels, sleeper cells and any cross-border influence,” the officer said. Authorities believe the network may have been planning the attack for several months.

The probe is expected to continue expanding as agencies scrutinise the digital footprints and movements of those arrested or suspected to be part of the conspiracy.

Conclusion

With the arrest of Amir Rashid Ali, the NIA has moved closer to unravelling the plot behind one of Delhi’s deadliest terror attacks in recent years. As investigators gather more evidence and interrogate suspects, the focus remains on dismantling the wider network believed to be responsible for orchestrating the suicide blast at the Red Fort. The case continues to raise serious concerns about the reach and sophistication of terror modules operating across multiple states in India