- The i20, which exploded near the Red Fort on Monday, underwent a pollution check before entering Delhi
- After the pollution check in Faridabad, the car was parked on a college campus for 12 days
- From there, the car was spotted in Connaught Place and Mayur Vihar before it was parked in Chandni Chowk
New angles are emerging in Monday's explosion near Red Fort, Delhi, as the investigation into the case intensifies. The explosion at 6.52 pm Monday killed nine people and injured 20 others.
Earlier, sources told NDTV that Dr Umar Mohammad, who owned the car- a Hyundai i20- reportedly panicked and triggered the blast after investigators arrested two key members of the module - Dr Mujammil Shakeel and Dr Adil Rather - and seized the explosives.
Now, it has been known that the i20 underwent a pollution check before it entered the national capital to avoid getting under the scanner. The car was also parked inside a college campus in Faridabad for 12 days before it was driven to Delhi. The suspects were working at the college.
Why Was Pollution Check Done Beforehand?
Amid high pollution levels and worsening air quality in Delhi, the police have been checking the pollution certificates of vehicles at random and issuing fines.
READ: All Updates On The Aftermath Of Delhi Blast
Vehicles with registration numbers outside Delhi are particularly vulnerable to such a check.
The i20 used in the explosion had a number plate from Haryana. It is being believed that the suspects may have feared that the police might seize the i20 upon entering Delhi, which is why they had the car tested for pollution immediately after its purchase.
Car Got Pollution Checked In Faridabad
The car- with the number plate HR 26 CE 7674- was purchased on October 29, and its pollution check was done on the same day in Faridabad.
CCTV footage from the afternoon of October 29 revealed the presence of three people with the car. The pollution test was done at the Royal Car Zone in Sector 37, Faridabad.
It is suspected that one of the persons in the i20 was Tariq, in whose name the suspected suicide bomber Dr Umar purchased the car. Sources said that Tariq had played a crucial role in the chain leading up to the explosion.
READ: Delhi Blast Suspects Planned Diwali Attack, Aborted It Later: Sources
Also, Sonu, the owner of the Royal Car Zone, had been detained for questioning in the explosion case.
Reports Say Car Was Parked For 12 Days, Cops Deny It
Following the pollution check and receiving the PUC (Pollution Under Control) certificate for the i20, Dr Umar Mohammad allegedly took the car to the Al-Falah Medical College (where he worked) in Fardiabad and parked it next to Dr Mujammil Shakeel's Swift Dzire, reports suggested.
The i20 was parked at the college from October 29 to November 10- before Dr Umar allegedly panicked following the arrests of Dr Shakeel and Dr Rather, who also worked at the medical college, the reports said.
However, the Faridabad police denied that the car was parked at the campus.
