In a fresh development in the Delhi blast investigation, agencies have uncovered WhatsApp conversations that point to one of the main accused repeatedly seeking money, according to NDTV. The messages involve Adeel Rather, currently in NIA custody for the explosion near the Red Fort. Investigators say the chats — deleted from his phone but retrieved by digital forensic experts from a staffer at a Saharanpur hospital where he had worked — show him repeatedly saying he was in “urgent” need of funds. The exchanges took place between September 5 and 9, nearly a month before the November 10 blast that killed 15 people and left over 20 injured.
A Trail of Pleas for Salary
The first message, dated September 5, shows Rather requesting that his salary be credited.
“Good afternoon, sir… I had requested that the salary be credited… (I am) in dire need of money.”
Two hours later, he followed up again, asking that the payment be deposited directly into his bank account.
On the morning of September 6, he sent another note:
“Good morning, sir. Please do it. I will be grateful.”
A few hours later came another reminder stressing his urgency: “Need salary ASAP, sir. In need of money.”
The last recovered message in the thread, dated September 9, read: “Please do it tomorrow. I really need it, sir.”
Investigators believe around ₹26 lakh was used to carry out the attack, with Rather allegedly contributing ₹8 lakh. During questioning, he was identified as the “treasurer” of the terror module. Authorities are now trying to trace the origin of the money and determine if it was routed directly into the terror network. The retrieved chats are being viewed as a crucial piece in connecting the financial trail. Rather was among several Kashmiri doctors who formed what officials describe as a “white-collar” terror module. The group also included Muzammil Ganaie, Shaheen Saeed, and Umar-un-Nabi — the man who allegedly drove the explosive-laden vehicle on November 10. The module was uncovered by police in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana, eventually leading investigators to Faridabad, where 2,900 kg of explosives were found. Ganaie and Saeed were arrested there hours before the blast, while Rather was detained later in Saharanpur.