NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday told a Delhi court that its investigation in the Delhi blast case was delayed due to protests and the prevailing law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The agency made the submission before NIA Judge Pitambar Dutt while seeking an extension of custody for two accused in the case. According to the agency, the situation in the Valley prevented investigators from taking the accused to specific locations as part of the “pointing out procedure” to identify places where arms and ammunition were allegedly concealed.
The NIA produced the two accused, Tufail Ahmad Bhat and Zameer Ahmad Ahangar, before the court on the expiry of their earlier custody. The accused were arrested on February 25, 2026. During the hearing, the agency requested a ten-day extension of their custody to continue the investigation. The court, however, allowed the NIA a further five days of custody for both accused persons.
The NIA told the court that protests and security concerns in Jammu and Kashmir following Khamenei’s death made it difficult for investigators to safely carry out field operations and complete certain investigative procedures in the Valley. The agency has alleged that the two accused were part of a larger conspiracy to wage war against India by procuring and supplying weapons intended for terrorist activities.
The prosecution further submitted that technical issues have also slowed the investigation. Duplicate SIM cards of the accused persons’ Kashmir-based mobile numbers are yet to be received from telecom service providers. As a result, the extraction and analysis of their social media accounts and other digital evidence has been delayed.
On February 25, the court had remanded Bhat and Ahangar to 10 days of NIA custody. Their remand was later extended for five days on March 6.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police had brought the accused to Delhi on a production warrant, after which their custody was handed over to the NIA. Investigators have alleged that the accused were involved in collecting arms and ammunition.