“Faridabad Module” was to Receive Drones from Pak Handler for Bombing Northern Indian Cities
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Nov 23: The “Faridabad module” of the doctors connected with the Al-Falah University in Faridabad in Haryana connected with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were to receive a consignment of long-range drones from a Pakistani handler, sources said.
The plan to send the drones in parts was foiled when the terror module was unearthed on November 10, when 2,900 kilograms of explosives were found at a rented residence in Haryana’s Faridabad. The same evening, a car exploded on a crowded street near the iconic Red Fort in Delhi killing 13 people.
Sources said the drones, capable of carrying payloads of up to 10 kilograms, were to reach India through an export company on an order placed by an Indian import company. Similar to those caught earlier for smuggling weapons and drugs from Pakistan into India, the assembled drones would have been capable of flying several kilometres. Sources added that the arrested terror module operatives were to assemble these drones, and carry out a major attack by mounting readymade explosives on them.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested Jasir Bilal Wani from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on November 17 for his role as an active co-conspirator of Delhi car bomber Dr Umar Muhammad Nabi. He was reportedly involved in modifying drones and attempting to develop rockets ahead of the deadly car bomb blast.
Another major revelation that has come to light is that the accused were in the process of preparing 200 bombs, which were meant to go off simultaneously in Delhi and other parts of North India. The plan was to carry out bomb blasts across North Indian states, and for this, the Pakistani spy agency ISI had handpicked a JeM operative to train the accused, who were part of the Faridabad module.
Probe also found that the radicalisation of the doctors involved in the terror module began as early as 2019 on social media platforms.
The investigation so far indicated a concerning shift in cross-border terror strategy, where highly educated professionals were groomed entirely through digital means by handlers operating from Pakistan and other parts of the world, the officials familiar with the probe said.
The NIA continues to probe multiple angles to uncover the full conspiracy behind the bombing. Several teams from the anti-terror agency are pursuing various leads and conducting searches across multiple states to identify every individual involved in the attack.
Meanwhile, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind chief Maulana Arshad Madani’s remarks alleging discrimination against Muslims in the context of multiple investigations into Al Falah University, in connection with the Red Fort blasts, sparked a controversy with the BJP on Sunday responding by alleging that the “aatanki bachao (save terrorist) jamaat” had become active.
Mr Madani claimed while Zohran Mamdani had been elected mayor of New York and a Khan could become mayor of London, Muslims in India cannot even become vice chancellors in universities. “The world thinks that Muslims have been crippled and finished. I don’t believe so. Today, a Muslim, Mamdani, can become the mayor of New York, a Khan can become mayor of London; whereas in India, no one can even become a university vice chancellor,” he said at a session at the Jamiat headquarters on Saturday.
“And even if someone does, they will be sent to jail, like Azam Khan. Look at what is happening today with Al Falah. He (the founder) is in jail, and no one knows how many years he will be in jail,” Mr Madani said. The government is working relentlessly to ensure that Muslims never raise their heads, the chief of one of the two factions of Jamiat alleged.
BJP leaders slammed Mr Madani for the remarks and accused him of giving a communal colour to the Delhi blast probe. The ruling party’s spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, said, “In the name of vote bank, the ‘bhaijaan of appeasement’ and the ‘aatanki bachao jamaat (save terrorists group)’ has become active.”
“Arshad Madani ji, leave aside this talk of mayor; this country has seen Muslims becoming President, Vice President, Chief Justice, Home Minister. The biggest artists and businessmen have also come from the Muslim community.” “When a terror act takes place, those people who say terrorism has no religion, start advocating on behalf of terrorists on the basis of religion,” he said.
Reacting to Mr Madani’s remarks, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, “In India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who became the President, is the icon of Muslims. He always kept his head high. Why make others an icon?” BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain slammed Arshad Madani’s statement as “very irresponsible.” “He is an elder and should remember that Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind contributed to the freedom movement. He is defaming Hindustan by saying these things,” Mr Hussain said.
Al-Falah University has become the focus of multiple security agencies following the November 10 blast near the Red Fort, as “suicide bomber” Dr Umar Un Nabi was a professor of medicine there. Additionally, Dr Mujammil Shakeel, from whose rented accommodation in Faridabad over 2,900 kg of explosives were recovered, worked at the university.
Last Monday, the Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at 25 locations across Delhi and Faridabad in a money laundering probe tied to the ongoing blast investigation. The central agency also arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, founder and chairman of Al Falah University, in a separate case involving alleged financial irregularities, forged accreditation documents and diversion of institutional funds. Siddiqui has been remanded to 13 days of ED custody.
The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has already registered two FIRs against the university, one for cheating and another for offences related to forgery. The Association of Indian Universities has revoked Al Falah’s membership.
