Red Fort car blast: NIA court extends custody of 9 accused till July 13
Synopsis
Nine accused in the deadly Red Fort car blast of November 2025 remain in judicial custody until 13 July, as the Special NIA Court prepares to simultaneously examine a forensic report on victims' remains and chargesheets against all 13 accused — including an absconding paediatrician identified as a founding member of Al-Qaeda offshoot AGuH Interim.
Key Takeaways
A Special NIA Court in New Delhi extended judicial custody of 9 accused in the Red Fort blast case until 13 July .
The court will scrutinise a forensic report on victims' body parts and consider chargesheets against all 13 accused on the same date.
The blast on 10 November 2025 near the Red Fort killed 11 persons ; primary accused Umer Un Nabi died in the explosion.
On 27 June , the NIA chargesheeted three additional accused — Zameer Ahmad Ahanger , Tufail Ahmad Bhat , and absconding paediatrician Muzafar Ahmad — all from Jammu and Kashmir .
Muzafar is identified as a founding member of AGuH Interim , an Al-Qaeda offshoot, and a Non-Bailable Warrant has been issued against him.
Arms supplier Tufail allegedly procured weapons including an AK-47 and delivered them to the prime accused for ₹3 lakh .
A Special NIA Court in New Delhi on Monday, 6 July extended the judicial custody of nine accused in the Red Fort car blast case until 13 July, when it is also expected to scrutinise a forensic report on the body parts of victims and take up chargesheets filed against all accused, according to a lawyer present at the hearing.
Key Developments in Court
The proceedings took place at the Patiala House Court complex, where the Special NIA Court sits. The forensic report, submitted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) following detailed laboratory analysis, pertains to remains recovered from the blast site. The court is likely to consider all chargesheets on the same date — 13 July — in what could mark a significant procedural milestone in the case.
Background: The November 2025 Red Fort Blast
The case stems from a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) explosion on 10 November 2025 near the Red Fort in New Delhi, which killed 11 persons. The primary accused, Umer Un Nabi, died in the exploding car. Investigators have since linked the attack to AGuH Interim, described by the NIA as an offshoot of Al-Qaeda.
Three More Accused Chargesheeted
On 27 June, the NIA filed a supplementary chargesheet naming three additional accused — Zameer Ahmad Ahanger, Tufail Ahmad Bhat, and absconding accused Muzafar Ahmad (also known as Faraz or Zafar) — all from Jammu and Kashmir. With these additions, the total number of chargesheeted accused in the case rose to 13.
Absconding accused Muzafar Ahmad, a paediatrician (MBBS, MD) and reportedly the elder brother of co-accused Adeel Ahmed Rather, is identified by the NIA as a founding member of AGuH Interim. According to the NIA, Muzafar attended a secret Eidgah meeting in Srinagar in June 2022, during which the terror module was established. He is alleged to have been one of the prime architects of the conspiracy, alongside Umer, Muzammil, Adeel, and Mufti Irfan.
The NIA's investigation found Muzafar to have been deeply involved in the manufacture, testing, and safekeeping of TATP-based IEDs at a clandestine facility run by Umer and Muzammil at Al-Falah University, Faridabad. A Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) has been issued against him, and efforts to trace and arrest him are ongoing, according to the agency.
Roles of the Other Accused
Zameer Ahmad Ahanger, described by the NIA as an overground worker (OGW) of AGuH Interim, allegedly maintained active contact with handlers and served as a courier for arms, ammunition, and cash for the module. Tufail Ahmad Bhat, a former OGW of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), is accused of acting as the module's arms supplier. According to the NIA, Tufail procured one AK-47, one Krinkov rifle, one pistol, magazines, and live ammunition through dead drops and delivered them to the deceased prime accused Umer Un Nabi for ₹3 lakh.
Charges and Investigation Method
In the supplementary chargesheet, arrested accused Zameer and Tufail have been charged under sections 13, 18, 20, 23, 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and sections 61(2), 147, 148 and 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Absconding accused Muzafar faces additional charges under the Explosive Substances Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, among others.
The NIA said it established linkages between the accused through multi-disciplinary scientific investigation, including forensic testing, geo-location mapping of conspiracy sites, and granular financial-trail analysis. The next hearing on 13 July will be closely watched as the court takes up both the forensic evidence and the full set of chargesheets.
Point of View
The NIA's much-publicised forensic and financial-trail investigation faces its real test: converting courtroom chargesheets into convictions. The 13 July hearing, which bundles forensic evidence and chargesheets in a single session, will signal whether the prosecution's case is tight enough to withstand adversarial scrutiny.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Red Fort car blast case?
The Red Fort car blast case involves a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) explosion that occurred on 10 November 2025 near the Red Fort in New Delhi, killing 11 people. The NIA linked the attack to AGuH Interim, an offshoot of Al-Qaeda, and has so far chargesheeted 13 accused, including the prime accused Umer Un Nabi who died in the blast.
Why was judicial custody of the accused extended to July 13?
The Special NIA Court extended custody to 13 July to allow time for the court to scrutinise the forensic report on victims' body parts and to consider chargesheets filed against all accused on the same date. The extension is a routine procedural step as the case moves toward trial.
Who is the absconding accused Muzafar Ahmad?
Muzafar Ahmad, also known as Faraz or Zafar, is a paediatrician (MBBS, MD) from Jammu and Kashmir identified by the NIA as a founding member of AGuH Interim and one of the prime architects of the Red Fort blast conspiracy. He is the elder brother of co-accused Adeel Ahmed Rather, and a Non-Bailable Warrant has been issued against him.
What charges have been filed against the accused?
Arrested accused Zameer Ahmad Ahanger and Tufail Ahmad Bhat have been charged under multiple sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Absconding accused Muzafar Ahmad additionally faces charges under the Explosive Substances Act and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
What is AGuH Interim and how is it connected to the blast?
AGuH Interim is described by the NIA as an offshoot of Al-Qaeda that was established at a secret Eidgah meeting in Srinagar in June 2022. The NIA alleges the module planned and executed the Red Fort car bomb attack, with its members involved in manufacturing TATP-based IEDs at a clandestine facility at Al-Falah University in Faridabad.
