New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: A day after the powerful explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort, the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday handed over the investigation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

NIA was handed over the case after Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday reviewed the ongoing probe and the multi-state searches linked to the Delhi blast.

Chairing a high-level meeting at his residence, Shah directed officials to uncover the full conspiracy behind the explosion at the earliest and ensure swift progress in the investigation.

The meeting was attended by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Kumar Deka, Delhi Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, and NIA Director General Sadanand Vasant Date. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat joined the meeting virtually.

Preliminary findings suggest the Hyundai i20 car used in the blast was purchased from a second-hand car dealer in Sector 37, Faridabad (Haryana). The blast, which occurred on Monday evening near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, claimed at least eight lives and left dozens injured.

According to investigators, the car, registered in Haryana, was initially owned by Mohammad Salman, who was apprehended on Monday night. The vehicle reportedly changed hands multiple times: from Salman to a man named Nadeem, then to the Faridabad car dealer, followed by Aamir, Tariq, and finally Mohammad Umar. Both Aamir and Tariq are under the scanner for suspected links to the Faridabad terror module.

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CCTV footage being examined

CCTV footage obtained by the Delhi Police has provided crucial clues. The white Hyundai i20 was seen entering the Red Fort parking area around 3:19 p.m. and remained there for nearly three hours before exiting at about 6:48 p.m., just before the explosion occurred near the traffic signal outside the fort.

Police sources said the footage shows the car leaving amid heavy pedestrian and vehicular movement. Investigators are now examining over 100 CCTV clips from surrounding areas, roads, and toll plazas to reconstruct the vehicle’s route and identify the person who drove it to the site. “The suspect appears to be alone in the footage,” a senior police official said, adding the route toward Daryaganj is currently under scrutiny.

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A case has been registered under Sections 16 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Explosives Act, and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In view of the ongoing probe, Delhi Police have closed Gate Nos. 1 and 4 of the Lal Qila Metro Station for commuters. Security has been intensified across Delhi and in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra, with special focus on crowded public places and religious sites.