Jalandhar police have arrested three individuals under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly sharing sensitive information with Pakistan-based operatives through social media platforms and messaging applications. According to the police, the accused passed on details related to government buildings and other sensitive locations to Pakistan-based gangster Shehzaz Bhatti and Hamas Gujjar.
Fresh Arrests Highlight Growing Espionage Network
The fresh arrests add to the growing network of espionage and spies active in the region and sharing sensitive information on state infrastructure, activities and buildings to Pakistan's ISI. Shehzad Bhatti, an alleged ISI henchman, popular as a social media influencer, has a long history of criminal activities and his name has regularly featured as a handler or mastermind in a number of recent incidents of spying, grenade attacks etc. in Punjab.
The arrested trio have been identified as Sachin Khosla, resident of Guru Nanakpura West, Chugitti, Jalandhar; Bharat Verma alias Sunny, resident of Guru Nanakpura West Chugitti, Jalandhar; and Pardeep Singh, resident of Kamal Vihar, Rama Mandi, Jalandhar. The accused trio were apprehended near the Niti Shri Flats in Jalandhar.
Legal Action and Investigation Underway
A case (FIR No. 141) was registered against the three accused on Thursday under Sections 18 and 39 of the UAPA Act 1967, Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act 1923, and Section 111, 3(5) of the BNS 2024, at the Rama Mandi police station in Jalandhar. The police informed that the investigation of the case was being conducted by ACP Central.
Jalandhar Commissioner of Police Satinder Singh informed that the arrests were made under a special campaign launched by the commissionerate police in Jalandhar city, against elements involved in illegal and anti-national activities, under Manpreet Singh DCP/Investigation, Jayant Puri ADCP/Investigation, and Akarshi Jain IPS ADCP-1 Jalandhar. The CP said under the supervision of ACP Central Jalandhar, on Thursday, January 25, a team of the Special Cell, while conducting a joint operation with the police team of PS Rama Mandi Jalandhar, acted on the basis of secret information and apprehended the following persons from near the aforesaid flats.
Police Statement on Anti-National Activities
The Commissioner of Police said, "These persons were allegedly involved in illegal and anti-national activities and, on the directions of Shehzad Bhatti, used to send information regarding government buildings, and other sensitive information through social media and various phone applications to Shehzad Bhatti and Hamas Gujjar in Pakistan and abroad." He added that in-depth investigations of the above accused were underway. He said there was a possibility of obtaining more concrete information from them regarding anti-national activities in the region.
