The Al Falah university in Faridabad, which is at the centre of a "white collar" terror module and money laundering probes after its links with the terrorist behind the Delhi blast surfaced, had earlier admitted another student who was found involved in the Gorakhpur, Ahmedabad and Jaipur serial bomb explosions.
According to sources, Umar Mohammad alias Umar Nabi - the driver of the white Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort on November 10 and left 13 people dead - is not the first terrorist to be linked to the controversial university.
Mirza Shadab Baig, a key member of terrorist outfit Indian Mujahideen (IM), also studied at the varsity.
A resident of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, Baig completed his B.Tech in Electronics and Instrumentation at the varsity in 2007. He was likely a student when he got involved with the planning for the blasts, the sources said.
The accused was involved in the Gorakhpur blasts in 2007 and his property was seized after his involvement came to light, the sources said.
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In 2008, the accused reportedly visited Udupi in Karnataka to collect the explosives for the Jaipur blasts. In Udupi, Baig reportedly supplied a large number of detonators and bearings to IM members Riyaz Bhatkal and Yasin Bhatkal.
Having studied instrumentation engineering that deals with designing and implementing control systems and automation technologies, Baig was familiar with all the technical aspects of making a bomb, the sources said.
For the Ahmedabad blasts, Baig visited the Gujarat capital for a complete recce 15 days before the explosions. Three teams were formed with Qayamuddin Kapadia, Mujeeb Sheikh, and Abdul Raziq. Atif Amin and Mirza Shadab Baig were also a part of these teams.
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The student arranged all the logistics for the terror strikes. He also prepared the bombs and trained other IM members before the blasts.
The accused is on the run and was last traced to Afghanistan in 2019. He carries a reward of Rs 1 lakh on his head.
All about Gorakhpur, Jaipur and Ahmedabad bombings
In May 2007, three bombs packed in lunch boxes and left behind on bicycles exploded at short intervals in a shopping area in Gorakhpur. At least six people were injured in the incident that put the city police on a red alert.
A year later on May 13, a series of nine synchronised bomb blasts across Jaipur - a tourist destination - left over 60 people dead. Days later on July 26, more than 50 people were killed when around 20 bombs exploded within a span of 70 minutes across Ahmedabad.
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The police in the two states claimed that people associated with the IM,a faction of radicals of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), were involved in the blasts.
FIRs against Al Falah university
The Crime Branch has lodged two First Information Reports (FIRs) against the varsity under charges of cheating and forgery following regulatory violations reported by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
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The action was taken after both statutory bodies highlighted "major irregularities" in the university's functioning.
On Saturday, a police team visited the Okhla office of the university to seek details related to those under scanner.
What happened near Red Fort last week?
The white Hyundai i20 that was driven by Mohammad exploded at a parking lot near Red Fort on November 10, injuring 20 people. The impact of the blast was so intense that several nearby vehicles were damaged. The area was immediately thrown into chaos as people scrambled to help the injured.
The blast occurred hours after eight people, including three doctors, were arrested and 2,900 kg of explosives seized with the uncovering of a "white collar" terror module involving the Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
