In a major revelation in the ongoing investigation into the Red Fort blast, key suspect Dr. Muzammil has reportedly told interrogators that he and his associate Umar had initially planned an attack during Diwali, but later decided to abort it, sources have said.
According to officials familiar with the probe, Muzammil also disclosed that the duo had conducted reconnaissance of the Red Fort area before the explosion that killed nine people earlier this week. Data recovered from his phone, examined by forensic teams, confirmed multiple site visits and encrypted communications.
During questioning, Muzammil allegedly revealed that there had been another planned strike for January 26 next year, and that the area around Red Fort was being assessed for potential targets linked to that plan.
Muzammil, a senior doctor by profession, is among several suspects under scrutiny after a car blast near the Red Fort on Monday evening shook the capital and triggered heightened security alerts nationwide. His associate, Umar, also a faculty member at Al Falah University in Faridabad, is believed to have died when the explosive-laden vehicle detonated near the Red Fort Metro Station.
Investigators have since uncovered what they describe as a “white-collar terror network” a group of educated professionals and academics, allegedly involved in financing and facilitating extremist operations under legitimate professional covers.
A senior police official said the group used encrypted channels for communication, indoctrination, and fund movement. “Funds were raised through professional and academic circles, often disguised as social or charitable initiatives,” the officer added.
Preliminary findings suggest that members of this network were engaged in identifying and radicalising individuals, recruiting them into terror ranks, and arranging logistics including weapons, ammunition, and materials used for making improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Authorities are now expanding their probe to trace the funding routes, digital footprints, and external linkages of the suspects, as investigators warn of a disturbing trend terror groups tapping into professional, educated circles to build covert operational networks.
