Investigators say Soyab aided planner Umar by obtaining chemicals, shelter, and housing, becoming the case’s seventh arrest
NEW DELHI
A Delhi court has extended the National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) custody of Soyab, an accused in the November 10 Red Fort blast, by 10 more days. The explosion had killed 13 people and injured many others, leading to a major national investigation. Soyab was presented before the NIA court at Patiala House after his earlier custody ended. He had first been sent to NIA custody on November 26.
According to investigators, Soyab had given shelter to the main planner, Dr. Umar Mohammad, also known as Umar un Nabi. The NIA says Soyab provided important support that helped the attackers carry out the car blast near the Red Fort. Soyab is the seventh person arrested in the case. Officials say he worked as a lab assistant at Al-Falah University in Faridabad and helped Umar collect chemicals from the university lab. He also arranged a rented room for him in Nuh shortly before the attack.
Just two days earlier, on December 3, the court had extended the custody of another accused, Jasir Bilal Wani, by seven days. Wani is also part of the same terror case.
The November 10 blast led to a large investigation that uncovered a strong and organised terror network with links to Jaish-e-Mohammed. Even before the explosion, several arrests had been made in different states, and officers were already looking into a wider terror group. After the blast, more evidence helped connect earlier arrests to the main crime.
Investigators say Umar carried a big suitcase with bomb-making tools and chemicals everywhere he went, working secretly like a mobile lab. Another arrested person, Dr. Muzamil Shakeel, also from Al-Falah University, confirmed that Umar had tested chemicals in his room before making the final explosive device.
