Delhi Red Fort Car Bombing Case

On October 12, 2025, a car bomb detonated near the Lahori Gate of the Red Fort in Delhi, India, killing three visitors and injuring over twenty. The blast, claimed by a previously unknown militant group, triggered a massive manhunt led by the Delhi Police Special Cell and the National Investigation Agency. Key suspects Imran Siddiqui and Rohit Mehra were arrested within days based on CCTV footage and explosive residue evidence. The prosecution argued the attack was designed to destabilize communal harmony and target a national symbol. The trial, conducted in a fast-track court, examined digital trails and forensic reports linking the defendants to the explosive-laden vehicle. The case became a landmark for the use of anti-terror legislation against alleged lone-wolf attacks on heritage sites.

Imran Siddiqui was convicted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole; Rohit Mehra received a ten-year sentence for criminal conspiracy. Acquittals on some lesser charges were recorded due to insufficient evidence. Appeals are currently pending before the Delhi High Court.

The primary dispute centered on whether the evidence proved a transnational terror conspiracy or if the accused acted due to local criminal motives without external backing. The admissibility of encrypted messaging records and the reliability of the forensic chain of custody were fiercely contested, with the defense alleging custodial coercion and fabrication of digital evidence.

The bombing prompted the installation of permanent vehicle barriers and heightened surveillance at all centrally protected monuments across India. It reignited political debates over national security and minority profiling, while civil society groups demanded stronger deradicalization programs. The rapid trial and conviction were widely seen as a deterrent, though human rights organizations expressed concerns over expanding state surveillance powers.