ATS operation targets network of Shahzad Bhatti across Maharashtra
In a major counter-terrorism and organised crime operation, the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Wednesday carried out coordinated raids at more than 40 locations across the State, targeting individuals suspected of being in contact with Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti and his syndicate. At least 53 persons were being questioned as part of the probe, officials confirmed.
The Maharashtra raids come days after the Delhi Police Special Cell’s high-impact “Gang Bust Operation 2.0”, a 48-hour pan-India drive across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh that led to the arrest of 482 alleged gangsters and associates. Crucially, nine operatives linked to the Shahzad Bhatti module were among those arrested. Interrogation of these operatives had revealed that Pakistan’s ISI had allegedly planned coordinated attacks through the Bhatti network on a historic temple in Delhi, a popular dhaba on the Delhi-Sonipat highway and a military camp in Haryana.
The module was also tasked with random firing incidents targeting security personnel in the Delhi-NCR and northern India, alongside arms trafficking. Earlier, in April 2026, Delhi Police arrested two fresh recruits, Rajveer (21) and Vivek Banjara (19) from Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, with no prior criminal record, who were allegedly preparing attacks on a prominent hotel in the NCR on Bhatti’s directions.
The raids by Maharashtra ATS teams, which began in the early hours on Wednesday, spanned key areas including Mumbai, Akola, Nanded, Pune, Mira Road (Thane district), Nallasopara (Palghar district), Nashik, Jalgaon, Nagpur, and several other districts. ATS teams acted on specific intelligence about suspicious activities, including alleged links via social media and encrypted communication platforms to Bhatti’s network, which is accused of radicalising and recruiting Indian youth for anti-national activities, arms trafficking, and potential terror support.
Some reports also link the operation to the associated Dogar Gang, with investigators probing online interactions, suspicious digital transactions, and recruitment patterns targeting vulnerable young users. No arrests have been reported so far from these raids. Shahzad Bhatti, originally from Lahore, Pakistan, and believed to operate his network from Dubai, has emerged as a high-profile Pakistan-based gangster with alleged deep ties to Pakistan’s ISI.
Bhatti reportedly uses social media platforms, YouTube videos, and encrypted apps to influence and recruit Indian youth, often luring them with financial incentives for logistics, reconnaissance, or violent acts.
Related actions involving Bhatti include UP ATS arrests of operatives from Noida who were in direct contact with Bhatti and associates such as Aabid Jatt via social media and encrypted channels. Social Media as a Recruitment Tool for Cross-Border Nexus.
The Maharashtra ATS is examining chat histories, follower patterns, and financial trails to map local support networks. This mirrors a growing trend of “disposable terror modules” being activated across multiple States and even reportedly in 16 countries.
