Red Fort blast case: Delhi Police detains Faridabad car dealer linked to sale of Hyundai i20 used in explosion
According to Delhi Police, the Hyundai i20 entered the city from the Faridabad side at 8:04 am on Monday, crossed the Badarpur toll booth, and stopped briefly at a petrol pump near Okhla.
- Nov 12, 2025,
- Updated Nov 12, 2025 2:14 PM IST
In the latest development in the Red Fort blast case, Delhi Police’s Special Cell has detained a Faridabad-based car dealer for allegedly facilitating the sale of the Hyundai i20 used in Monday’s explosion that killed 12 people and injured more than 20.
Police sources identified the man as Amit, owner of Royal Car Plaza in Faridabad’s Sector 37. He was picked up from his office soon after the blast with help from local police. Investigators believe he helped in the transaction of the vehicle that later exploded near the Red Fort Metro Station, PTI reported.
“Amit is being questioned. The focus is on tracing the car’s ownership trail and finding out how it ended up with the suspects,” a police officer said. “We’re also verifying who brought the vehicle to his showroom and how Dr Umar Nabi came into contact with him.”
The Special Cell is examining dealership records, bank transactions, and CCTV footage to track possible intermediaries. Officers suspect the car changed hands multiple times before reaching those behind the blast.
The explosion near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening was initially thought to be accidental. By Tuesday morning, however, the Ministry of Home Affairs had handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), officially treating it as a terror attack. The death toll climbed to 12 after three more victims died overnight.
According to Delhi Police, the Hyundai i20 entered the city from the Faridabad side at 8:04 am on Monday, crossed the Badarpur toll booth, and stopped briefly at a petrol pump near Okhla. CCTV footage later showed it in areas such as Daryaganj, Kashmere Gate, and Sunehri Masjid. Around 3:19 pm, it parked near Sunehri Masjid for nearly three hours before leaving at 6:22 pm. At 6:52 pm, the car stopped on Subhash Marg near the Red Fort Metro Station and exploded, setting vehicles on fire and shattering nearby windows.
CCTV footage captured a man wearing a black mask behind the wheel. He was later identified as Dr Umar Mohammad, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, believed to have ties to a recently busted terror module. Umar, who was critically injured in the explosion, remains under police guard at a Delhi hospital.
Investigators say Umar was in contact with Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, a medical professional from Anantnag arrested last week for links to a Faridabad-based terror network. Sources said the module may have detonated the car “in panic” after a series of arrests disrupted their operations. Forensic tests have confirmed the use of Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO), a powerful industrial explosive.
Following Umar’s identification, Jammu and Kashmir Police detained his mother, Shaheema Bano, and two brothers from Shopian. Raids have also been conducted in Pulwama and Shopian, where several individuals have been picked up for questioning. The Delhi Police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act. Over a dozen people are being questioned across Delhi, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir.
In the latest development in the Red Fort blast case, Delhi Police’s Special Cell has detained a Faridabad-based car dealer for allegedly facilitating the sale of the Hyundai i20 used in Monday’s explosion that killed 12 people and injured more than 20.
Police sources identified the man as Amit, owner of Royal Car Plaza in Faridabad’s Sector 37. He was picked up from his office soon after the blast with help from local police. Investigators believe he helped in the transaction of the vehicle that later exploded near the Red Fort Metro Station, PTI reported.
“Amit is being questioned. The focus is on tracing the car’s ownership trail and finding out how it ended up with the suspects,” a police officer said. “We’re also verifying who brought the vehicle to his showroom and how Dr Umar Nabi came into contact with him.”
The Special Cell is examining dealership records, bank transactions, and CCTV footage to track possible intermediaries. Officers suspect the car changed hands multiple times before reaching those behind the blast.
The explosion near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening was initially thought to be accidental. By Tuesday morning, however, the Ministry of Home Affairs had handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), officially treating it as a terror attack. The death toll climbed to 12 after three more victims died overnight.
According to Delhi Police, the Hyundai i20 entered the city from the Faridabad side at 8:04 am on Monday, crossed the Badarpur toll booth, and stopped briefly at a petrol pump near Okhla. CCTV footage later showed it in areas such as Daryaganj, Kashmere Gate, and Sunehri Masjid. Around 3:19 pm, it parked near Sunehri Masjid for nearly three hours before leaving at 6:22 pm. At 6:52 pm, the car stopped on Subhash Marg near the Red Fort Metro Station and exploded, setting vehicles on fire and shattering nearby windows.
CCTV footage captured a man wearing a black mask behind the wheel. He was later identified as Dr Umar Mohammad, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, believed to have ties to a recently busted terror module. Umar, who was critically injured in the explosion, remains under police guard at a Delhi hospital.
Investigators say Umar was in contact with Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, a medical professional from Anantnag arrested last week for links to a Faridabad-based terror network. Sources said the module may have detonated the car “in panic” after a series of arrests disrupted their operations. Forensic tests have confirmed the use of Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO), a powerful industrial explosive.
Following Umar’s identification, Jammu and Kashmir Police detained his mother, Shaheema Bano, and two brothers from Shopian. Raids have also been conducted in Pulwama and Shopian, where several individuals have been picked up for questioning. The Delhi Police have registered a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Explosives Act. Over a dozen people are being questioned across Delhi, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir.