New Delhi: The Special Cell has detained a Faridabad-based car dealer in connection with the Red Fort blast case and has directed all second-hand car dealers across Delhi and adjoining states to verify and share details of recent vehicle sales, officials said on Wednesday.
According to police sources, Amit, owner of Royal Car Plaza in Faridabad’s Sector 37, was detained late Monday night with the assistance of the Faridabad Police.
He allegedly facilitated the sale of the Hyundai i20 that was used in Monday’s powerful explosion near the Red Fort, which killed 12 people and injured many others.
“Amit is being questioned. The investigation team is tracing the entire chain of ownership of the Hyundai i20 and determining how it reached the suspect’s hands. We are verifying who brought the vehicle to his showroom and through whom Dr Umar Nabi came in contact with him,” a source said.
The Special Cell is also examining dealership records, transaction logs and CCTV footage to identify intermediaries who might have been involved in the car’s sale and transfer.
Dr Umar Nabi, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University in Haryana’s Faridabad, is believed to have been behind the wheel when the blast took place near the historic Red Fort.
Following the blast, Delhi Police has launched an extensive verification drive involving all used-car dealerships operating within and around the national capital.
A senior police officer said all Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) across the 15 districts in Delhi have been instructed to hold meetings with local car dealers and direct their respective Station House Officers (SHOs) to cross-check sale and purchase records.
“SHOs have been asked to visit car dealerships in their jurisdictions and verify documentation related to recently sold or transferred vehicles. They have also been tasked with collecting details of buyers, especially those from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and identifying any suspicious transactions,” the officer said.
Haryana Police and Uttar Pradesh Police have also been roped in to conduct parallel verifications in their respective areas adjoining the national capital, sources said.
The objective is to identify any vehicle purchases that may have been made using fake identities or through cash transactions that bypass standard verification procedures.
Meanwhile, a meeting was held with several car dealers in Delhi to strengthen coordination and ensure compliance with vehicle verification norms.
“Dealers were advised to maintain proper sale-purchase records and verify buyer credentials such as Aadhaar, driving licence and address proofs before handing over any vehicle. They were also encouraged to immediately report any suspicious buyers or transactions to the police,” said the police officer.
The Special Cell is expected to question more people linked to the transaction chain as the probe into the Red Fort blast widens.
