Delhi blast: NIA arrests 7th accused for allegedly providing logistical support
The NIA has so far arrested six accused, who allegedly contributed to planning, reconnaissance, or logistical facilitation of the November 10 attack
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a 32-year-old Faridabad resident for allegedly sheltering and providing logistical support to Umar Un Nabi, who was at the wheel of the car that exploded near Delhi’s Red Fort on November 10.
Investigators said Mohammad Soyab, a resident of Faridabad’s Dhauj village, is suspected to have harboured Nabi in the days preceding the attack and assisted him with “critical logistical arrangements”, including movement and concealment. He is the seventh person to be arrested in the case so far.
“The arrest was made on Tuesday after NIA teams, acting on fresh leads, picked up Soyab during coordinated operations in the National Capital Region. We have registered a case against him,” said an NIA officer, requesting anonymity.
The officer said the arrest helped fill an important gap in the timeline of Nabi’s movements before he drove the explosives-laden vehicle to the Red Fort parking area. “...evidence suggests that the accused played a knowing role in providing safe passage and support. His custody will help us map out the wider support network that enabled the bomber,” said the officer.
The NIA has so far arrested six alleged associates of Nabi, who allegedly contributed to planning, reconnaissance, or logistical facilitation. Investigators are probing whether handlers outside India guided the group, and if the bomber received financial or material assistance from any larger network.
The attack prompted a sweeping multi-state investigation, searches across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir. Digital devices, communication records, and handwritten documents have been recovered and are being forensically examined.
A second NIA officer said that the conspiracy was “multi-layered”, calling identifying every link a top priority. “We are pursuing all angles, including cross-border linkages and possible motivators behind the suicide strike. More arrests are likely,” he said.
The November 10 explosion using an improvised explosive device was among the deadliest attacks in the capital in recent years.
