NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a man from Jammu & Kashmir, taking the total number of people arrested in connection with the blast near the Red Fort to nine.
The arrested man, identified as Dar, is said to be a close associate of suicide bomber Umar-un-Nabi. After the arrest, Dar was produced before the Patiala House Court on Thursday, which sent the accused to the NIA custody till December 26.
All the court proceedings were held with tight security measures, and the case was heard in a closed room under the guidance of Special NIA Judge Anju Bajaj Chandana.
The court on Tuesday also extended the custody of two persons, Bilal Nasir Malla and Shoyeb, who were arrested for alleged links with the blast. Their custody, which expired, is to remain extended until December 19. Malla, as well as Shoyeb, was also produced before a closed court like Dar, with security tight.
The blast in an IED-laden Hyundai i20 car occurred on November 10, leading to the deaths of 15 people. More than two dozen were left injured due to the explosion.
The suicide bomber, named Umar-un-Nabi, was a resident of Pulwama and worked at Al Falah University in Faridabad.
The authorities have also taken custody of another car, which belonged to Nabi and is undergoing forensic analysis.