Delhi blast probe handed over to NIA; Shah instructs to 'hunt down each and every culprit'

New Delhi | Probe into the car blast near the Red Fort that killed 12 people was transferred to the National Investigation Agency on Tuesday, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah instructing the agency to submit a report "at the earliest".

The Ministry of Home Affairs' decision to transfer the case to the NIA suggests that the government views the Monday evening explosion as an act of terror since the NIA is mandated specifically to investigate such cases. The agency was formed in the aftermath of 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The instruction to the NIA came after Shah presided over two back-to-back high-level security review meetings on Tuesday.

"The home minister has decided to hand over the investigation of the blast to the NIA. He has instructed the agency to investigate the case and submit a report at the earliest," said a ministry official.

Shah has said top investigating agencies are probing the explosion and they will go in-depth into the blast that took place in a slow-moving car at a traffic signal near the Red Fort metro station on Monday evening, killing at least 12 people and gutting several vehicles.

Following the two review meetings, Shah took to social media and made his resolve clear to pursue those responsible for the incident.

"Chaired review meetings on the Delhi car blast with the senior officials. Instructed them to hunt down each and every culprit behind this incident. Everyone involved in this act will face the full wrath of our agencies," Shah wrote on X.

The first meeting was attended by key security and intelligence officials, including Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, and NIA Director General Sadanand Vasant Date. Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Nalin Prabhat also joined the meeting virtually.

During the meeting, top officials gave detailed presentations on the situation in the aftermath of the blast, the officials said.

Almost the same set of officers attended the afternoon security review meeting chaired by Shah which was also attended by the director of the Forensic Science Services, and the chief director of the Forensic Science Laboratory, Delhi.

Shah also instructed the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to match the samples collected from the bodies in the car that exploded near the Red Fort here, the officials said.

He directed the FSL to match and investigate the sample specimens collected from the spot of the Delhi blast and come up with the details of the incident at the earliest.

The directives were given following the second security review meeting chaired by Shah.

The NIA, which was already associated with the local police, has commenced the process of formally taking over the investigation from the Delhi Police and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, which had registered the case under stringent laws like the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

"MHA has issued orders for handing over the investigation of the car blast case to NIA. NIA has started the process of formally taking over the case," an agency spokesperson said.