The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has interrogated 57 folks across the Direct as section of an operation against networks allegedly linked to Pakistan-essentially essentially based gangsters, at the side of the Shahzad Bhatti gang and the Dogra gang. Officials said the focus is on identifying sleeper cells, local operatives, and strengthen programs that can facilitate fingers smuggling or conspiracies.
The operation began at round 8 a.m. on Wednesday (Might perchance 13, 2026). ATS teams executed searches in Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nalasopara, Mira Avenue, Akola, Nanded, Nashik, and Jalgaon.
Officials said the ATS plans to request folks who are allegedly in contact with these gangsters via social media platforms or are thought of followers or sympathisers of the networks. Intelligence inputs obtained over a timeframe indicated that gangsters working from across the border maintain been the use of social media to recruit youths from Maharashtra, officers added.
Per officers, these groups centered local youths with guarantees of monetary positive aspects and a daily life of comfort. The plot became to spice up their affect across the Direct.
ATS teams seized laptops, cell phones, pen drives, and other electronic devices from areas linked to suspects. Investigators are inspecting bank accounts and monetary transactions to resolve if funds maintain been routed from Pakistan or other international areas via hawala channels.
Digital proof recovered at some level of the searches is being analysed to place the extent of the community and title additional folks who might presumably simply maintain been in contact with the gangsters.
The ATS has now not disclosed the volume of folks detained. Additional investigation into interstate or worldwide hyperlinks of the suspected community is underway.
The title of Bhatti, a Lahore-essentially essentially based gangster, has surfaced in investigations associated to fear recruitment, radicalisation, and espionage activities in India at some level of the last quite a lot of months. More than a dozen instances maintain been registered against him by diversified businesses, officers said.
Per investigating businesses, Bhatti has been working out of Dubai whereas travelling between Pakistan, the UAE, and other countries in the Middle East. Indian businesses are in point of fact working to get his extradition.
(Bureau reproduction with PTI inputs)
Printed – Might perchance 14, 2026 02:forty five am IST
