Pathankot Surgeon Detained Over Links to Red Fort Blast Accused, Probe Expands Into White-Collar Terror Network

Investigators probing the devastating Red Fort blast in Delhi have detained a Pathankot-based surgeon, Dr Rayees Ahmad Bhat, after discovering suspected links with the main accused, Dr Umar Nabi. The blast, triggered by an explosive-laden Hyundai i20 near the historic monument, killed 13 people and intensified scrutiny on what authorities call a rising white-collar terrorist network.

Dr Bhat, 45, currently employed with White Medical College in Pathankot, was detained after investigators traced communication logs indicating that he was in touch with Dr Umar, the man who drove and detonated the explosive-filled vehicle. Officials believe the link may be tied to their shared past at Haryana’s Al-Falah University, an institution already under the scanner for its alleged involvement in a terror-linked network.

Between 2020 and 2021, Dr Bhat worked at Al-Falah University, the same period during which Dr Umar was associated with the institution. Investigators say Dr Bhat maintained regular communication with members of the university’s staff even after leaving the job, raising suspicion about whether these contacts played a role in facilitating or supporting the Faridabad–Delhi terror module.

Sources privy to the investigation say the surgeon was taken into custody to “establish facts,” verify timelines of interaction with the accused, and determine whether he knowingly aided the group believed to be backed by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH). The module is described as an organised “white-collar” setup—individuals with education, technical ability and access to sophisticated infrastructure.

Investigators are now mapping Dr Bhat’s movements, financial patterns, digital communications, and professional associations during and after his stint at Al-Falah University. They aim to determine whether he was simply in contact with former colleagues or complicit in a network that aided or inspired extremist activities.

Dr Umar Nabi’s role in the Red Fort explosion continues to expose deeper layers within the terror ecosystem, with several professionals—a doctor, a university employee, and now a surgeon—emerging as persons of interest. Authorities expect further detentions as digital forensics unfold.

The interrogation of Dr Bhat marks yet another significant step in unraveling the complex network behind the Delhi blast, suggesting the conspiracy may be broader, more organised, and more deeply embedded in educational institutions than initially believed.