Kalaburagi: UP man arrested over alleged links with Pakistani terror suspects

A 23-year-old Uttar Pradesh native arrested in Kalaburagi was allegedly in prolonged contact with Pakistani terror suspects through WhatsApp and Instagram, besides being part of groups carrying anti-India content, police said.

The FIR, registered under Sections 113(3) and 197 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, was lodged after Central Crime Branch (CCB) officials examined the mobile phone of Mohammad Sameer, who was found behaving suspiciously in the Malagatti area of Kalaburagi on Wednesday night, they said.

"On checking Mohammad Sameer's WhatsApp and Instagram accounts, it was found that he had been in continuous contact with Shahzad Bhatti and Abid Jat for a long period," the FIR quoted CCB Inspector Arun Kumar as saying.

It also stated that videos relating to "Rana Hunain, Abid Jat and Shahzad Bhatti" were found on Sameer's mobile phone.

According to the FIR, CCB personnel received information around 8.30 pm on August 12 about a person behaving suspiciously near Fair Export Private Limited in Malagatti, under University police station limits.

Police reached the spot with two 'panch' witnesses and found Sameer engaged with his mobile phone.

When asked what he was doing, he allegedly closed the applications and later handed over the device to the police.

The FIR said the Realme phone contained several foreign-origin numbers through which Sameer was communicating with people on WhatsApp and Instagram.

His contacts with Abid Jatt and Shahzad Bhatti were found to be suspicious and, when questioned, he allegedly told police that the two were from Pakistan.

The police complaint said digital material linked to the three men was found on the phone, along with several videos containing what it described as strongly anti-India content.

"Some videos also showed maps of India in which Jammu and Kashmir had been excluded from India and depicted as part of Pakistan," the FIR said.

The phone also allegedly contained membership of WhatsApp groups named "Shankita Memon", "Jat 333" and "Rana Bhai Group 333", besides videos showing pistols and other firearms.

The FIR further alleged that Sameer had shared such material on WhatsApp and had made conference calls with Abid Jatt, which police said appeared to indicate a possible intention involving illegal arms trade with Pakistan and posed a threat to national security.

Police also found that Sameer was operating around 20 Instagram accounts, including "sadarpur_underwold_333", "sadarpur underwold" and "333sadarpur_gang underwold", the FIR said.

According to the complaint, the digital material, social media accounts and contacts prima facie indicated his links or influence with Pakistani underworld elements.

Police alleged that Sameer had participated in social media and WhatsApp groups containing anti-India material and was involved in activities relating to firearms and arms transactions that could affect internal security and public order.

The FIR said police suspected that Sameer was preparing a conspiracy in furtherance of terrorist acts and supporting a terrorist organisation in a manner prejudicial to the unity, integrity, sovereignty and security of India.

During his personal search, another carbon-keypad mobile phone was allegedly recovered and both phones were seized in the presence of panch witnesses. Investigation is underway, police said.