New Delhi: The four doctors arrested for their alleged role in the so-called “white-collar terror module” had collected over Rs 26 lakh to buy materials used in the powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, according to officials on Thursday.

The arrested suspects have been identified as Dr Muzammil Ganaie, Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather, Dr Shaheen Sayeed and Dr Umar Nabi. Officials said the group had contributed the money in cash, which was then handed over to Dr Umar for safekeeping and operational needs.

Dr Umar, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Haryana’s Faridabad, was driving the Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening. He was a resident of Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.

How was the money used?

Investigators revealed that the pooled funds were used to purchase about 26 quintals of NPK fertiliser worth nearly Rs 3 lakh from suppliers based in Gurugram, Nuh and neighbouring areas. Officials stated that this fertiliser, when mixed with other chemicals, can be used to make Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

Police sources said the purchase of such a large quantity of fertiliser has become a key lead in the ongoing investigation. Financial transactions and delivery records are currently being verified.

Was there a dispute within the group?

According to sources, a disagreement arose between Umar and Muzammil over the management of funds in the days before the blast. Investigators are examining whether this dispute played any role in influencing the group’s actions or the timing of the explosion.

Background
A car exploded near the Red Fort in Delhi on 10 November 2025, killing 13 people and injuring around 20 others.The vehicle involved was a Hyundai i20, which stopped at a red light just outside the Red Fort metro station before the explosion.

Forensic teams collected over 40 samples from the blast site. One of the explosive samples was believed to be more powerful than standard ammonium nitrate.

(With agency inputs)