ATS expands probe into Pak gangster Bhatti network, searches 102 across Maharashtra; 15 suspects from Marathwada

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in a pre-emptive operation, on Friday conducted coordinated searches at the homes of 102 people across the state and questioned several of them for hours as part of their probe into alleged links with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti.Investigators suspect Bhatti is being used by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to identify and recruit Indians for anti-national activities through social media.Officials said the searches focused on seizing cellphones, electronic devices, communication records and other digital evidence to establish the extent of each suspect's alleged links with the network.The second statewide operation in two months began early Friday with 58 ATS teams deployed across the agency's 14 regional units.

Of the 102 people under scrutiny, 34 are from Mumbai, eight each from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Ahilyanagar, six from Thane, five from Nashik, four each from Nagpur and Jalna, and one each from Beed and Dharashiv, among others. An ATS officer said none of the suspects was from Pune."We have so far identified over 160 individuals, both men and women from different communities across Maharashtra who allegedly came in contact with Bhatti through social media.

Efforts are on to trace and verify the rest of the suspects," a senior officer said.According to the ATS, the operation followed intelligence inputs suggesting Bhatti and his associates were using social media to cultivate Indian youths before gradually drawing them into activities detrimental to national security. The investigators alleged the network exploited Bhatti's popularity, particularly on Instagram, before shifting conversations to encrypted messaging platforms.A senior ATS officer said many youths first interacted with Bhatti by commenting on his posts or chatting online. "They would then receive replies and links to join WhatsApp and Telegram groups having Bhatti's gang members as well as alleged ISI operatives," the officer said, adding that many were unaware of the larger network they were allegedly entering.Another ATS officer said several of those questioned were members of Telegram groups where some participants claimed to represent the Lawrence Bishnoi gang.

"These groups are nothing but traps. The next step is to make these youngsters knowingly or unknowingly carry out anti-national activities like conducting reconnaissance, clicking photographs of vital installations and sharing them with persons they believe are international gangsters," the officer said.The ATS alleged that Bhatti and his associates — Abid Jat alias Abid Chal, Ajmal Gujar, Hammad Memon, Rana Hunain and Ashraf Bashir Alam — operated fake or multiple accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Telegram and WhatsApp to reach out to Indian youths, exploiting religious and social issues and luring unemployed youngsters with promises of easy money.The investigators also suspected that the network was involved in collecting confidential information, facilitating drug trafficking, transporting illegal weapons and creating sleeper cells or local agents.The latest action expands the probe launched on May 13, when 57 people, including several women, were questioned across Maharashtra for allegedly following or communicating with Bhatti on social media. Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar then accounted for 14 suspects.