A sprawling 70-acre private campus in the foothills of the Aravalis, Al-Falah University in Dhauj, Faridabad, has become the focal point of a massive anti-terror investigation, unmasked as the operational hub for a sophisticated “white-collar” terror module with links to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.
The university, established in 2014 under the Al-Falah Charitable Trust, that was formed in 1995 and began as an engineering college in 1997, located just 30 km from the national capital, is under the scanner following the arrest of multiple doctors on its faculty and staff in connection with the Delhi car blast that killed more than 10 people and a massive haul of explosives.
The Key Players: Doctors Turned Alleged Terror Operatives
Investigation has revealed that at least five individuals associated with the university’s medical college and hospital are central to the terror plot.
Dr. Muzammil Shakeel (aka Dr. Muzammil Ganaie): A 35-year-old doctor from Pulwama, Kashmir, he was employed at the Al-Falah School of Medical Sciences and Research Centre. His arrest on 8 November 2025 was the breakthrough, leading to the recovery of a staggering 2,900 kg of IED-making materials, primarily ammonium nitrate, from two rooms he rented in Faridabad. He is alleged to be a core member of the JeM module.
Dr. Umar Mohammed (aka Umar Nabi): Also, from Pulwama, he was the driver of the i20 car that exploded near the Red Fort metro station on 10 November 2025. He joined Al-Falah University in 2021. Investigations reveal he left the university campus immediately after Dr. Muzammil’s arrest and was in hiding for 10 days before executing the blast. A red Ford EcoSport, believed to be owned by him, has also been recovered for investigation.
Dr. Shaheen Saeed: Dr Shaheen Saeed (also reported as Shaheen Shahid or Shaheen Sayeed) was serving on the medical faculty at Al-Falah University’s Medical College in Faridabad. She was arrested on 11 November 2025. She is accused of being a key operative tasked with establishing JeM’s women’s wing, ‘Jamaat-ul-Momineen’, in India. An assault rifle, pistol, and ammunition were recovered from her Maruti Suzuki Swift car, which was frequently used by Dr. Muzammil, pointing to her active logistical role.
Dr. Adeel Ahmed Rather: From Kulgam, Kashmir, he was employed at the university and was arrested from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh after he was spotted putting up posters of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Srinagar on 27 October 2025. CCTV footage from the area led to his arrest in Saharanpur, in a joint operation by J&K and UP Police.
Dr. Nisar-ul-Hassan: A professor in the department of medicine, he has been reported missing since the Red Fort blast. Significantly, he was dismissed from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar in 2023 by the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor for alleged “anti-national activities.”
The University as a Terror Base: Evidence and Planning
Investigators paint a picture of the university being used as a secure base for meticulous planning over two years.
Diaries and Coded Plans: Notebooks recovered from Dr. Muzammil’s (Room 13) and Dr. Umar’s (Room 4) campus lodgings contained coded references, names, and numbers with dates from November 8-12, with the word ‘operation’ scribbled repeatedly. This suggests the group was planning multiple synchronized strikes, with the Red Fort blast likely being one part of a larger carnage.
Logistical Hub: The module used the university’s proximity to Delhi and its campus facilities to operate under the radar. The suspects’ vehicles were parked on campus, and they coordinated movements from there.
Recruitment Scrutiny: The university’s hiring process has come under severe criticism. Both Dr. Umar and Dr. Nisar-ul-Hassan were hired despite being dismissed from their previous government positions in Kashmir for negligence and alleged anti-national activities, respectively, raising serious questions about the institution’s background verification policies.
Al-Falah Trust
The institution is run by the Al-Falah Charitable Trust, headquartered in Okhla, New Delhi, with Prof Jawad Ahmad Siddiqui as its Chairperson and Chancellor. Reports have noted past legal issues for Siddiqui and that the university receives foreign funding from Arab nations, as reported in Times of India.
Jawwad (Jawad) Ahmad Siddiqui is a controversial businessman whose name has surfaced repeatedly in major financial fraud cases involving alleged “Islamic investment” schemes in Delhi. As chairman of the Al-Falah Group, Siddiqui along with his brothers was reportedly arrested and lodged in Tihar Jail for a multi-crore scam in which the company allegedly collected massive deposits from the public, particularly from Muslim households and even madrasas, under the guise of high-return halal investment schemes.
Reports from the time describe how Al-Falah promised impossible dividends of 35–40% annually and went on to collapse, leaving hundreds of small investors devastated and unable to recover their savings. Siddiqui’s family was also linked to another collapsed firm, Al-Fahad Investment, run by his brother Hamood, which similarly disappeared with depositors’ money after RBI rejected its registration. Despite this history, questions have resurfaced today as Siddiqui’s name appears to be associated, at least online, with Al-Falah University, raising concerns about how an individual previously jailed for large-scale fraud could transition into the leadership of a private university and whether the same person is involved.
False NAAC Certificate
The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) on 13 November 2025 has clarified that Al-Falah University in Faridabad is not accredited and has never applied for accreditation. NAAC has now issued a show-cause notice to the university for falsely displaying accreditation claims on its official website.
Islamic Activity
On-the-ground report by OpIndia highlights a strong presence of Kashmiri students, professors in Islamic attire, and religious events including namaz performed in open campus spaces and sermons by preachers like Maulvi Ishtiyaq who was also detained.
The University’s Response and Management
The university, which charges up to ₹74.5 lakh for its MBBS course (Times of India reports that the university charges ₹16 lakh per year for its MBBS programme, while fees for MD courses vary widely – from ₹2.5 lakh annually for Anatomy to nearly ₹30 lakh a year for Pediatrics) and has a significant Kashmiri student population (estimated at 40%), has broken its silence to distance itself from the accused.
Vice Chancellor Prof (Dr) Bhupinder Kaur Anand stated the university was “deeply saddened and anguished” and condemned the events. In an official statement, the management claimed, “The University has no connection with the said persons apart from them being working in their official capacities with the University,” and denied any “institutional complicity.” They also asserted that no unauthorized materials or chemicals were ever stored in the university’s laboratories.
Subscribe to our channels on WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram and YouTube to get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
