New Delhi/Faridabad, November 12, 2025: As the investigation into the Red Fort car blast and the seizure of explosive materials in Faridabad intensifies, the National Medical Commission (NMC), India’s apex medical education regulator, is closely tracking the developments. Al Falah Medical College, part of Al Falah University in Faridabad, has emerged at the centre of the probe due to the involvement of faculty members in the terror-related activities.

According to officials familiar with the matter, Dr. Umar Un Nabi, a faculty member at the college, is suspected to have been the driver of the white Hyundai i20 that exploded near the Red Fort on Monday evening, killing at least ten people and injuring more than twenty. Investigators have zeroed in on Room 13 in Building 17 of the college, which was allegedly used by Dr. Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie, also from Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir. Police believe the room served as a hub for planning logistics and transport routes for ammonium nitrate and other explosive materials intended for multiple attacks.

While the college has been thrust into the spotlight, the NMC has not yet communicated directly with the institution. “The matter is currently under investigation. As the medical regulatory authority, the NMC will take appropriate action in accordance with statutory regulations once the findings of the investigating agencies are received,” an NMC official, who requested anonymity, told HT. The commission is closely monitoring the probe but has refrained from taking any independent action until official reports are submitted.

Al Falah University’s Response

Al Falah University, which obtained NMC approval to admit its first batch of MBBS students in 2019, has maintained that it has no connection to the arrested doctors beyond their official employment. Vice Chancellor Bhupinder Kaur stated, “The institution had no knowledge of the alleged activities of the doctors and has no connection with them apart from them performing their professional duties. No ammonium nitrate or similar chemicals are stored on the campus. The university is fully cooperating with security agencies in their investigation.”

Despite these assertions, the involvement of college facilities in the alleged terror module has raised serious concerns about the oversight and management of the institution. The investigation has particularly focused on the use of academic premises as storage and operational centers for explosives, a development that has shocked both students and faculty.

Accreditation Concerns

In addition to the ongoing probe, questions have been raised regarding the university’s claims of accreditation. Officials from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) reviewed the university’s website, which listed its engineering and education schools as NAAC-approved. The officials clarified that the university had never been accredited under NAAC’s current framework. The engineering college had received an A grade in 2013 and the teacher education school in 2011, both of which have since lapsed, as NAAC accreditation is valid for five years.

A NAAC official told HT, “We will write to the university asking them to correct the information on their website, as it is against our norms. While NAAC is not a statutory body and cannot impose penalties, we will also inform the University Grants Commission (UGC) to take necessary action regarding the misleading claims.” Neither UGC nor Al Falah University responded to requests for comment regarding the accreditation issue.

Investigation Underway

Security agencies are combing through the college premises, forensic evidence, and communication records to ascertain the full extent of the involvement of faculty members. The seizure of 2,900 kilograms of ammonium nitrate and other explosive materials from rented locations in Dhauj and Fatehpur Taga villages in Faridabad has prompted a deeper probe into whether the college infrastructure was misused to store or transport these materials.

Investigators are also exploring the network of contacts that Dr. Umar and Dr. Muzammil maintained, including possible international connections, as prior investigations revealed that both had visited Turkey in 2022. Authorities are scrutinizing their phone records, financial transactions, and travel history to map the broader network and determine whether other faculty members or students were complicit.

Implications for Medical Education Oversight

The involvement of a medical college in such a high-profile terror-related case has sparked concerns about regulatory oversight of educational institutions. While the NMC has limited its role to monitoring the investigation at this stage, the case raises critical questions about how academic facilities could be exploited for illegal activities and whether stricter compliance and audit mechanisms are needed for professional colleges.

The NMC’s approach, according to officials, will be data-driven. The regulator intends to wait for a complete dossier from the investigative agencies before considering any suspension of licenses, cancellation of approvals, or initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the institution or its administrators.

University Cooperation

Despite the scrutiny, Al Falah University has publicly committed to full cooperation with authorities. Vice Chancellor Bhupinder Kaur reiterated, “We are providing access to all relevant records, supporting the investigators, and ensuring that the authorities have unhindered access to the campus and faculty.” Security agencies continue to question staff and students who may have information about the activities of the accused doctors.

Broader Context

The case is part of a larger investigation into a terror module allegedly linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed. The module had been using professional networks, including medical colleges, to plan attacks, store explosives, and transport materials across states. The Red Fort blast has highlighted vulnerabilities in monitoring professional institutions and the challenges security agencies face in detecting such clandestine operations within seemingly legitimate environments.

Next Steps

Authorities are expected to continue raids and forensic examinations of college premises while awaiting intelligence reports on the accused doctors’ activities both domestically and abroad. The NMC, meanwhile, will act only after receiving complete findings, potentially leading to regulatory action against the college if any lapses or complicity are established.

The unfolding investigation has far-reaching implications for both national security and regulatory oversight of professional educational institutions in India. As agencies work to dismantle the network and bring all involved individuals to justice, Al Falah Medical College remains under a spotlight, raising questions about institutional accountability and preventive safeguards in educational settings.