Financial Desperation Revealed: Doctor-Terrorist's Urgent Money Requests Before Delhi Red Fort Bombing

The recovered WhatsApp messages reveal that Adeel Rather explicitly mentioned being in "dire need of money" several times.

New Delhi:

Investigators probing the Delhi blast have uncovered a series of WhatsApp conversations demonstrating one of the key suspects' financial desperation.

The messages belong to Adeel Rather, currently held by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the explosion near the historic Red Fort. In these communications, Rather repeatedly states he was in "dire need of money."

Digital forensic experts recovered the deleted chats from a hospital employee's phone in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, where Rather was previously employed before his arrest. The exchange occurred between September 5-9, approximately one month before the November 10 blast that claimed 15 lives and injured over 20 people.

The Financial Desperation

In his initial September 5 message, Rather was apparently requesting his salary payment: "Good afternoon, sir... I had requested that the salary be credited... (I am) in dire need of money."

Roughly two hours later, he followed up requesting direct deposit: "Please transfer it to my account. I had given the account details earlier."

The following morning on September 6, Rather continued: "Good morning, sir. Please do it. I will be grateful."

Hours afterward, he emphasized his urgency: "Need salary ASAP, sir. In need of money."

His final message in this conversation, dated September 9, stated: "Please do it tomorrow. I really need it, sir."

According to sources, approximately Rs 26 lakh was utilized in the Delhi bombing operation, with Rather allegedly contributing Rs 8 lakh.

During questioning, investigators learned that Rather functioned as the "treasurer" within the terror cell responsible for the Delhi blast.

Authorities are now investigating Rather's financial sources and whether funds were channeled directly to terrorist activities. These recovered messages represent a significant connection in the ongoing investigation.

Adeel Rather was among several Kashmiri doctors participating in a "white collar" terror network. Additional members included Muzammil Ganaie, Shaheen Saeed, and Umar-un-Nabi, who drove the explosives-laden vehicle on November 10.

The operation was disrupted through collaborative efforts between Jammu and Kashmir police and their counterparts in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The investigation expanded to Faridabad, where authorities seized 2,900 kg of explosives, unraveling the group's plot. Ganaie and Saeed were apprehended in Faridabad shortly before the explosion, while Rather was later arrested in Saharanpur.