“Showed No Remorse”: Defense Attorney Claims Assistant of Delhi Bomber Displayed Zero Regret

In a surprising twist to the ongoing Red Fort blast Investigation, the defense counsel for accused Amir Rashid Ali has claimed that her client demonstrated “no guilt or regret” when questioned about his role in the deadly explosion. Ali is accused of assisting the main perpetrator, Dr. Umar Un Nabi, in last week’s Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) attack outside Delhi’s Red Fort.

Defense attorney Smriti Chaturvedi told news agency ANI that Ali had acknowledged being the registered owner of the hyundai i20 that was converted into the explosive-laden vehicle used in the blast. Her comments, unusually critical for a defense lawyer, sparked widespread outrage.

“The NIA said that Amir’s remand is crucial for further investigation in the Delhi terror blast case. When I questioned him, he told me he is the registered owner of the car involved in the explosion. There was no guilt, no remorse on his face,” Chaturvedi told ANI.

The statement — ordinarily expected from a prosecutor, not a defense counsel — triggered a wave of criticism across social media, where users accused Chaturvedi of violating her role as a defense attorney.

One user wrote, “This is terrifying. Every accused deserves a proper defense. If a government-appointed lawyer behaves like a prosecutor, she should be disbarred. But this is India.”

Another user commented harshly, saying, “What kind of attorney talks against her own client? This is malpractice and violates the right to legal defense. She should be removed immediately.”

10-DAY NIA CUSTODY GRANTED

Ali, a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, was arrested on November 16 for his alleged involvement in the explosion that left 14 people dead and over 20 injured near the historic Red Fort in Old Delhi. He was produced before the court on Monday and remanded to 10 days of National Investigation Agency (NIA) custody.

The Hyundai i20, now confirmed to be registered in Ali’s name, is believed to have been purchased solely to be converted into a VBIED. According to NIA officials, Ali traveled to Delhi earlier this month to help facilitate the car purchase before handing it over to Dr. Umar.

Investigators say that Dr. Umar — described as a radicalised medical professional — was inside the i20 when it detonated in the middle of a busy road near Red Fort, killing him instantly.

A second vehicle belonging to Umar, a red Ford EcoSport, was later found abandoned in a Haryana village and has since been seized for forensic analysis.

Officials also revealed a new video featuring Dr. Umar, in which he spoke fluent English and attempted to justify extremist ideology. In the clip, Umar claimed that so-called “suicide bombing” was actually a “martyrdom operation” in Islam, exposing the indoctrination level behind the attack.

While authorities have confirmed that the November 10 explosion was unintentional, investigators believe Umar intended to execute a much larger suicide attack later.

The video, officials said, was created to disseminate extremist propaganda and recruit sympathizers. Umar is believed to have been the most radicalised member of the “white-collar” Faridabad terror module behind the Red Fort blast.

The module allegedly involved 9–10 individuals, including five to six doctors associated with Al-Falah University in Faridabad. Investigators claim these doctors exploited their medical credentials to illegally acquire chemicals and materials used in manufacturing explosives. The group is suspected to have links with Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).