A Long Shadow: Lucknow Doctors Under NIA Scrutiny in 2000 Red Fort Blast Case

It’s a chilling reminder that some investigations, even decades old, never truly fade away. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recently stirred up a cold case, you see, conducting searches in Lucknow that bring the infamous 2000 Red Fort blast back into sharp focus. The spotlight, it turns out, is now firmly on two brothers, both medical professionals: Dr. Raisuddin and Dr. Naseeruddin, whose residences in the city's Hasanganj area were thoroughly scoured.

This isn't just a routine check; it’s a critical piece of a much larger, more intricate puzzle. The brothers are reportedly under intense scrutiny for their alleged links to a man named Bilal Ahmed, also known as Bilal Kashmiri. Now, Bilal Ahmed isn’t just anyone; he’s a suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative, believed to be a central figure, a key conspirator, in that horrific attack on the Red Fort some twenty-four years ago. What makes this even more current is that Ahmed was only recently deported from Pakistan, after serving a sentence there, and is now back in India, presumably shedding new light on the old case.

Let's cast our minds back to December 22, 2000. That tragic day saw three precious lives lost, including two brave Army jawans, when terrorists struck the iconic Red Fort in Delhi. The initial investigation, handled by the Delhi Police, eventually saw the case transferred to the NIA in February 2023 – a clear sign that authorities weren't satisfied with the extent of previous findings and believed a deeper dive was warranted.

Bilal Ahmed, originally from Bandipora in Jammu and Kashmir, appears to be the linchpin in this renewed effort. His deportation, after years of being out of reach, has undoubtedly provided investigators with fresh leads and renewed impetus. And it's not just the doctors in Lucknow; earlier this year, specifically in March, the NIA had already made progress by apprehending two other alleged co-conspirators, Nazir Ahmad Qasid and Showkat Ahmed Bhat, both hailing from Jammu and Kashmir. It paints a picture of a carefully orchestrated, widespread network that investigators are meticulously trying to dismantle.

Interestingly, this isn't Dr. Raisuddin's first brush with such serious allegations. He’s had a history, if you will, of being under the scanner. Back in 2007, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) investigated him for alleged connections to the very same terror group, LeT. While he was ultimately acquitted in 2013, the shadow of suspicion, it seems, has never quite left him. Furthermore, both Dr. Raisuddin and Dr. Naseeruddin were actually named in the Delhi Police's original chargesheet for the Red Fort blast. However, for reasons not entirely clear at the time, the Delhi government withheld its sanction for their prosecution, allowing them to remain outside the direct legal net.

Today, the NIA's objective is abundantly clear: to re-examine every thread of the conspiracy. They’re looking to understand the full breadth of the network, the precise roles each individual played, and how far its tendrils truly spread. The raids in Lucknow, therefore, represent a significant step in piecing together a long-standing, complex, and deeply unsettling chapter in India’s fight against terrorism.