Unraveling a Decades-Old Enigma: Major Breakthrough in 1996 Red Fort Blast Case

After decades of persistent effort, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has seemingly made a crucial breakthrough in the chilling 1996 Red Fort car bomb blast case. Just this Monday, the agency successfully obtained 10-day remand from a Delhi court for four more individuals believed to be connected to that devastating attack. It’s a development that brings a fresh wave of intensity to a probe many might have thought was all but cold.

These four men, identified as Mohd. Dawood, Mohd. Sharif, Mohd. Mushtaq, and Riyaz Ahmed, weren't initially arrested for the Red Fort incident, mind you. They were actually picked up by the Jammu & Kashmir Police back on March 18th, 2024, in Poonch, as part of a totally separate investigation concerning the smuggling of arms, ammunition, and explosives. However, the NIA, ever vigilant, quickly recognized them as long-sought absconders in the Red Fort blast case, further alleging their membership in the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

It’s worth noting, too, that this isn't the NIA’s first recent move in this very case. Before these four, the agency had already secured 10-day custody of two other individuals, Mohd. Naeem and Mohd. Shafi, on March 15th. Interestingly, these two were also among the group arrested by the J&K Police in Poonch on that same March 18th date. The timeline, though a bit intricate with the arrest and custody dates, clearly points to a concerted effort by the NIA to piece together this intricate puzzle.

Let's cast our minds back to the original horror: the Red Fort car bomb blast on December 22, 1996. It was a cowardly act that claimed the lives of two brave Army jawans and left one civilian injured, leaving a scar on the nation's collective memory. This was a direct attack on our sovereignty and peace, right at one of India's most iconic historical landmarks.

While key figures like Abu Faizal, convicted in 2005, and Bilal Ahmed, sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011, have faced justice for their roles, the ongoing pursuit of other alleged perpetrators underscores the NIA’s unwavering commitment. Even after all these years, the wheels of justice continue to turn, meticulously, patiently, ensuring that every individual involved in such heinous acts is eventually held accountable. It’s a testament to the fact that some cases, particularly those that shake our national conscience, are never truly closed until every thread is unraveled.