18 November,2025 10:16 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Multiple ED teams conducted raids at more than 25 locations linked to Al Falah University on Tuesday. File pic
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui, chairman of the Al Falah group, following a series of searches carried out across Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) as part of the investigation into the Red Fort area car blast case, officers said.
Siddiqui was taken into custody under criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is being produced before a competent court for remand, the officers quoted above told news agency PTI. During the searches, which began around 5.15 am, the agency seized Rs 48 lakh in cash, according to sources.
Multiple ED teams conducted raids at more than 25 locations linked to the Al Falah Trust and Al Falah University, including an office in Delhi's Okhla area, where police and paramilitary personnel provided security.
Fifteen people died in the November 10 Delhi Red Fort blast. Anti-terror agencies are examining the role of several doctors associated with the university and individuals in Kashmir, said officers.
"The operation forms part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities, use of shell companies, accommodation entities and money laundering. The role of Al-Falah Trust and related entities is under investigation," an ED officer said, adding that "key" personnel overseeing finance and administration of the trust and university were also covered in the raids, PTI reported.
The agency is acting on first information reports (FIRs) filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and police in Delhi Red Fort blast case. So far, NIA has arrested two people believed to be close aides of "suicide bomber" Dr Umar Nabi.
Officers said at least nine shell companies linked to the group - all registered at one address - are being scrutinised by ED.
Al Falah University, located in Haryana's Faridabad district in the Dhouj area, also runs a medical college and hospital.
Video glorifying suicide attack recovered from bomber's phone
In a parallel development, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have recovered the mobile phone of Red Fort suicide bomber Dr Umar-un-Nabi, with extracted data revealing that he had recorded a video justifying the suicide attack as a "martyrdom operation", officers said on Tuesday.
The evidence emerged after the detention and questioning of Umar's brother, Zahoor Illahi, who was driving the explosive-laden car that exploded outside Red Fort on November 10. A special team formed by Senior Superintendent of Police (Srinagar) GV Sundeep Chakravarthy picked up Illahi as the white-collar terror module began to unravel, PTI reported.
Initially, Illahi claimed ignorance, but officers said he broke under sustained interrogation. He reportedly told investigators that Umar, who was in the Kashmir Valley between October 26 and 29, had handed him a mobile phone with instructions to "dump it in water" if any news about him surfaced.
Illahi later led the police to the dumping site. Although the handset was damaged, forensic experts managed to extract crucial data indicating Umar's deep radicalisation through violent extremist content, including ISIS and Al-Qaeda suicide bombing videos.
Officials said Umar had also recorded multiple videos of himself discussing the suicide mission, claiming that such acts were among "the most praised acts in the religion".
(With PTI inputs)
