NIA Raids Lucknow and J&K Locations in Red Fort Blast Probe, Seizes Crucial Evidence

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted coordinated raids at the Lucknow residence of accused Dr Shaheen Shahid and at eight other locations across Jammu and Kashmir, as part of its expanding probe into the Red Fort blast case.

The searches were carried out with the assistance of local police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), targeting premises linked to key suspects believed to be part of a broader conspiracy involving an inter-state white-collar module affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Searches Across J&K

NIA teams raided the homes of several accused individuals, including:

• Dr Adeel and Jasir Bilal in Qazigund

• Mufti Irfan in Shopian

• Dr Muzammil in Koil, Pulwama

• Amir Rashid in Sambura, Pulwama

  

These properties were earlier searched by the Jammu & Kashmir Police and the State Investigation Agency (SIA) during a parallel probe into terror financing and cross-border links.

Lucknow Raids: Heavy Security Deployment

In Uttar Pradesh, NIA officers searched the Qaisarbagh and Madiyaon homes of Dr Shaheen Shahid and her brother Dr Parvez Ansari. Investigators questioned their father, Syed Ahmed Ansari, and Shaheen’s elder brother during the operation.

Officials said the agency recovered critical documents and digital evidence during a nearly five-hour search conducted by a six-member team that included women officers.

Due to the sensitivity of the case, police sealed multiple lanes in Khandari Bazaar, restricting public movement and deploying additional personnel.

Investigation Intensifies

The NIA’s latest action comes two days after a special court extended the custody of four accused — Dr Muzammil Shakeel, Dr Shaheen Saeed, Mufti Irfan Ahmad, and Adeel Ahmed — by 10 days.

The Red Fort blast killed 14 people and left dozens injured after a Hyundai i20 rigged with explosives detonated near the historic monument. The attack followed the seizure of a major cache of IEDs at Al-Falah University in Faridabad, exposing a sophisticated multi-state terror network.

The fresh raids are expected to help investigators trace the deeper operational ecosystem behind the attack.