Delhi blast probe uncovers Dr Shaheen's terror network, police hunt for 19 missing women she radicalised

Investigators from the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), central intelligence agencies and local police are carrying out an extensive search for 19 women from Kanpur and nearby districts who were reportedly in touch with arrested Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative Dr Shaheen Shahid, according to reports.

Authorities believe the women may have been radicalised or strongly influenced by her speeches, which officials describe as inflammatory and persuasive.

Sources told the Times of India that the ATS expanded its search after uncovering digital material including voice messages, videos, contact lists and follow-up exchanges, suggesting Dr Shaheen had created a systematic outreach network aimed at vulnerable women, particularly those who were isolated, unemployed or dealing with emotional difficulties. Many of these women have turned off their mobile phones, complicating efforts to trace them.

Investigators are now relying on address verification, tower dump data, bank records and other digital traces to locate them. “We will soon identify these women. Once they are questioned, the full extent of Dr Shaheen’s operations and support structure will emerge,” a senior officer involved in the probe told the Times of India.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into Al-Falah University by expanding it to the financial operations of the Al-Falah Trust, its associated firms, and the personnel managing the institution’s administrative and financial systems.

The Al Falah University has come under scrutiny after the arrest of several doctors in connection with the November 10 blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, which killed 15 people and injured many others. The suicide bomber, Dr Umar Un Nabi, a Kashmiri resident, was associated with the varsity.

ED initiated an investigation against the Al Falah group on the basis of two FIRs registered by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police, based on the allegations that Faridabad-based Al-Falah University has made fraudulent and misleading claims of National Assessment Accreditation Council (NAAC) accreditation with an intention to deceive students, parents, and stakeholders for wrongful gain.

It has been further mentioned in FIR that Al-Falah University has falsely claimed University Grants Commission (UGC) recognition under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956, with an oblique motive to cheat the aspirants, students, parents, guardians, stakeholders and general public to gain wrongfully and cause wrongful loss to them.

The UGC clarified that Al-Falah University is included only under Section 2(f) as a State Private University, has never applied for inclusion under Section 12(B), and is not eligible for grants under that provision.

Al-Falah Charitable Trust was constituted by a public charitable trust deed dated September 8, 1995, with Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui named as one of the first trustees and designated as the Managing Trustee, the ED said.

“All the educational institutions (university and colleges) are ultimately owned and financially consolidated under this trust, which is effectively controlled by Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui. The entire Al-Falah group has seen a meteoric rise since the 1990s, metamorphosing into a large educational body. However, the rise is not backed by adequate financials."

ED has conducted search operations at 19 locations in Delhi earlier in the day on Tuesday, including the premises of Al Falah University and residential premises of key persons of the Al Falah group.

ED said its investigation has revealed that “large amounts of proceeds of crime have been generated. Evidence reveals that crores of rupees have been diverted by the trust to family-owned entities."

With inputs from agencies