Bomb Threat Disrupts Patiala House Court Prior to Hearing in Red Fort Blast Case

Post by : Raina Nasser

On Tuesday, a bomb threat sent ripples of alarm through Delhi’s judicial system as Patiala House, Saket, and Tis Hazari courts were evacuated due to emails warning of explosives. The threats coincided with the scheduled court appearance of Jasir Bilal Wani, a co-accused in the Red Fort blast case, causing a massive security operation.

Authorities later established that all three threats were false alarms, raising concerns as investigations into the November 10 explosion, which claimed over 10 lives, continue.

Chaotic Scenes at Patiala House

Patiala House Court was the first to be alerted when an email warned of a bomb just hours before Wani’s scheduled hearing. In response, various security agencies, including the Rapid Action Force and bomb squads, were deployed to secure the area and conduct thorough searches.

Heightened security was imperative as Wani, who was arrested by Jammu and Kashmir Police, was due for court proceedings. Known as Danish and hailing from Qazigund, he was apprehended alongside his uncle over the preceding weekend.

Following the scare, court activities resumed, and the judge ordered Wani into 10 days of custody for further questioning by the NIA.

Saket and Tis Hazari Courts Targeted Too

Within moments of the Patiala House alert, both Saket Court and Tis Hazari Court reported similar bomb threats via email.

Anil Basoya, secretary of the Saket Bar Association, noted court operations were halted for nearly two hours to ensure safety. Officials from Tis Hazari confirmed receipt of the threat.

According to Advocate Tarun Rana of the New Delhi Bar Association, the threats targeted multiple court complexes; however, all were eventually deemed hoaxes.

“There is no need for alarm. Courts are functioning normally,” he assured.

Investigative Background of the Red Fort Blast

These bomb threats emerged as further developments in the Red Fort investigation shed light on a larger terror network implicated in the incident of November 10.

Jasir Bilal Wani was recently arrested and is believed to have been radicalized by the main accused, Dr. Umar un Nabi, who is now identified as a suicide bomber. Although Wani withdrew from immediate attack plans, he allegedly played a supportive role within the network.

Living adjacent to the terror-linked Rather brothers, Dr. Adil and Dr. Muzaffar, the Wani family has connections to the Faridabad module; while Adil was arrested previously, Muzaffar remains at large.

The explosion was caused by an IED concealed in a Hyundai i20, which detonated near the Red Fort at a traffic signal. Forensic evidence confirmed that Umar un Nabi was operating the vehicle.

Concerns Surrounding Hoax Threats

The timing of these hoaxes, closely aligning with Wani's appearance, has raised suspicions about their intent—whether to incite chaos, divert law enforcement resources, or instill public fear.

Security teams are now investigating the origins of the emails to ascertain any links to existing terror modules or whether they were mere deliberate disturbances amid an ongoing sensitive investigation.

Looking Ahead

As investigators delve deeper into the Red Fort blast conspiracy, they are focused on:

• Assessing additional radicalization efforts

• Identifying potential external influencers

• Tracing the origins and transport of explosives

• Exploring connections to prior suicide terror frameworks

With rapid developments in this case, more arrests may be forthcoming in the near future.