Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 16: The Centre on Wednesday designated the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA), citing its alleged involvement in cross-border smuggling of arms, explosives and narcotics and attempts to draw young people and petty criminals into terrorism.
The Ministry of Home Affairs said the network was also involved in activities aimed at targeting India's democratic structure and communal harmony and in publishing hateful digital content. The designation follows a multi-state crackdown against the network in August, during which security agencies detained 253 people across 14 states, registered more than 80 FIRs and made over 200 arrests, according to the government.
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) had earlier identified around 30 young men in Mumbai, all below the age of 20, who had allegedly come into contact with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti through Instagram, according to officials.
Investigators found that Bhatti allegedly used a "gaming mission" model to identify and gradually recruit youngsters. The recruits were reportedly assigned tasks resembling levels in an online game, initially involving seemingly harmless activities to test whether they would follow instructions.
Among the initial assignments were instructions to photograph or record short videos of public places, government buildings and police stations. The tasks were allegedly presented as routine activities so as not to arouse suspicion.
Investigators found that none of the 30 Mumbai youths actually carried out the instructions. In one case, Bhatti allegedly asked a youth to photograph a police station in Haryana. The youth neither travelled to the location nor completed the assignment, following which officials believe he received no further instructions.
However, investigators have flagged at least one case in which the alleged assignments progressed beyond basic reconnaissance. Krishna Mishra, 20, one of two men recently arrested by the Uttar Pradesh ATS, was allegedly instructed by Bhatti's network to record a sensitive installation.
Mishra and his alleged associate Daniyal Ashraf were arrested over suspected links with Pakistan-based handlers and alleged involvement in carrying out their instructions. Officials said Mishra photographed Narpoli Police Station in Bhiwandi and recorded an 18-second video of a nearby bridge. The material was allegedly shared with handlers in Pakistan.
Digital evidence recovered from the accused's mobile phones reportedly included encrypted chats, video calls, reconnaissance footage and records of financial transactions.
The Centre's August crackdown had covered Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala. The government said agencies had also recovered items including improvised explosive devices, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live ammunition and CCTV cameras allegedly intended for surveillance.
The Ministry of Home Affairs maintains the statutory list of terrorist organisations designated under Section 35 of the UAPA.