New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency has arrested a close associate of Red Fort area blast perpetrator Umar-un-Nabi, taking the total number of arrests in the so-called “white-collar” terror module to nine, officials said on Thursday.

The accused has been identified as Yasir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir. He was arrested from Delhi and booked under relevant provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the agency said in a statement.

Who is the newly arrested accused?

Confirming the arrest, an NIA spokesperson said, “The 9th person to be arrested in the case, Yasir Ahmad Dar is a resident of Shopian, Srinagar. He was nabbed by NIA from New Delhi and placed under arrest.”

According to the agency, investigations have revealed Dar’s active role in the conspiracy behind the car bomb blast near Delhi’s historic Red Fort on November 10.

What role did Dar allegedly play in the blast?

The NIA said Dar was an active participant in the plot, which claimed 15 lives and left several others injured. He had allegedly taken an oath to carry out “self-sacrificial operations”, the agency stated.

Investigators have also found that Dar was in close contact with other accused persons in the case, including Umar-un-Nabi, the deceased perpetrator of the bombing, and Mufti Irfan, described by officials as a key conspirator.

What has the investigation revealed so far?

The NIA said it continues to work closely with central and state authorities to uncover the full conspiracy behind the terror attack.

Earlier this month, the agency carried out extensive searches at the premises of several accused and suspects in Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh. During these searches, digital devices and other incriminating materials were seized.

Similar searches had previously been conducted at the Al Falah University premises of prime accused Dr Muzammil Shakeel Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed, as well as other locations in Faridabad, Haryana.

Who were arrested earlier in the case?

After taking over the investigation, the NIA arrested eight persons, including four doctors: Dr Muzammil Ganaie, Dr Adeel Rather, Dr Shaheen Sayeed and Dr Bilal Naseer Malla. Religious preacher Maulvi Irfan was also taken into custody.

Two others, Amir Rashid Ali and Jasir Bilal Wani alias Danish, were also arrested. According to the agency, Ali allegedly purchased the car in his name, which was later loaded with explosives, including ammonium nitrate, and detonated near the Red Fort.

On November 26, the NIA also arrested Soyab, a resident of Dhauj in Faridabad, for allegedly providing logistical support to Umar before the blast.

How is the ‘white-collar’ terror module linked to earlier incidents?

The “white-terror” module case has links to posters of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammed which appeared on walls outside Srinagar city on the intervening night of October 18 and 19, warning of attacks on police and security forces.

Subsequent arrests based on CCTV footage and interrogation of suspects led investigators to Maulvi Irfan and eventually to Al Falah University in Faridabad. There, around 2,900 kg of explosives was recovered, exposing what officials described as a “white-collar” terror module.