Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the Red Fort blast case, arrested a resident of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district from New Delhi on Tuesday (December 9) in connection with the explosion.

Earlier in the day, the agency carried out multiple search operations in south Kashmir “on the basis of the revelations” made by a Kashmiri doctor who has already been arrested in the case.

In a statement, the agency said that it has arrested Bilal Naseer Malla, a resident of Baramulla, in connection with the deadly suicide bombing on November 10 in which at least 12 civilians were killed in the crowded old Delhi area, while dozens of others suffered injuries.

The blast took place hours after J&K police claimed to have busted an “interstate and transnational terror module” linked to Al Qaeda and Jaish-e-Mohammad outfits which was planning to carry out a string of attacks across the country.

After taking over the investigation of the “white collar terror module” case which allegedly involves at least four doctors, the agency registered a case (RC-21/2025/NIA/DLI) at its Delhi office and at least seven persons, including three doctors, were arrested.

The agency didn’t give out more details about the latest arrest. Malla, whose profession was not immediately known, has become the eighth suspect to be arrested in the case.

In a statement on Tuesday, the anti-terror agency claimed that he was “involved in the conspiracy behind the (Delhi) terrorist attack” that sent shockwaves across the country last month.

“Bilal had knowingly harboured the deceased accused Umar Un Nabi by providing him logistical support. He is also accused of destruction of evidence related to the terrorist attack,” the agency said in a statement.

Nabi, who was working at Al Falah university in Faridabad, is believed to be the driver of the car which exploded outside the Red Fort on the ill-fated evening. The DNA exhibits lifted from the car have reportedly matched with Nabi’s mother.

Investigators have speculated that the arrest of his associates by J&K Police may have led Nabi to prematurely carry out the strike in the Red Fort area.

Amir Rashid, a resident of Samboora village in Pulwama district, whose documents were used by Nabi to purchase the Hyundai car that was involved in the blast, has also been arrested.

On November 17, the NIA said that it has arrested Jasir Bilal Wani, also known as Danish, a “key associate” and “active co-conspirator” of Nabi from Srinagar in connection with the ongoing anti-terror probe.

Meanwhile, Jasir’s father Bilal Ahmad Wani set himself on fire as he was reportedly “unable to bear the humiliation” of his son and brother being under the NIA scanner. He later died from grave burn injuries.

According to the agency, Nabi and his associates were planning to carry out a string of bomb blasts across the country using a deadly mix of ammonium nitrate and chemicals rigged to batteries and timers.

A large haul of explosives, chemicals, timers and batteries were recovered from Faridabad by the J&K police which made the first breakthrough in the case last month when it arrested Arif Nisar Dar, Yasir-ul-Ashraf and Maqsood Ahmad Dar, all Srinagar residents.

The group of youngsters were arrested on the charge of pasting posters in Srinagar’s Nowgam locality carrying threatening messages from Pakistan-based proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit.

A probe into the posters led the investigators to Irfan Ahmad Wagay, the imam of a local mosque in Nowgam who is believed to have spilled the beans about the involvement of other members in the module.

Dr Muzzamil Shakeel Ganai, a resident of Koil village in Pulwama district who was also working at the Al Falah University, was the first doctor to be arrested in the 'terror module' case.

Later, the police also arrested Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, who was working at a private hospital in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh.

His brother Dr Muzaffar Rather, who is believed to have fled to Dubai, is also a suspect.

Five days after terror attack in Delhi, at least nine people were killed and more than two dozen suffered injuries in another powerful explosion that went off in a police station in Srinagar.

The blast took place at Srinagar’s Nowgam police station on November 15 where investigators had stored a massive haul of explosives which was recovered from Faridabad in connection with the “interstate and transnational terror module”.

“NIA is continuing with its investigation into the conspiracy behind the deadly terror act. The anti-terror agency is working closely with various central and state agencies to unravel all the threads of the conspiracy,” the NIA statement said.

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