Hyderabad: A 22-year-old hotel worker from Ghaziabad, arrested by the Medchal police four days ago on charges of endangering the sovereignty and unity of India, was allegedly in contact with suspected associates of a Pakistan-based gangster-turned-terror operative. The accused, identified as Zayeed Khan alias Adil Khan, shared phone numbers of Uttar Pradesh ministers with the co-accused and requested them to provide him a pistol to carry out illegal activities in the country.
Background of the Accused
According to the Medchal police, Khan, who had been active on Instagram since 2021, started posting videos with a toy pistol from 2023 onwards to gain views. He studied only up to Class 4. On interrogation, Khan confessed that in early 2026, while searching for gun sellers on Instagram, he encountered the profiles of Abid Jatt and Rana Hussain, reportedly associated with Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti, who allegedly has links with the ISI.
Details of the Conspiracy
Police said that at the request of Abid and Rana, Khan shared Instagram account details of one Chhotaa Yogi of Prayagraj. They also asked him to provide the phone number of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's personal assistant. Instead, he sent publicly available phone numbers and email IDs of cabinet ministers.
Investigators alleged that from WhatsApp chats, Instagram messages, and phone conversation records, it came to light that Khan sought a pistol from Abid and Rana to carry out anti-national activities. Abid promised to provide him a pistol if Khan printed and pasted 1,000 posters in Ghaziabad bearing the text Pakistani Don Abid Jatt and sent video clips of doing so.
Link to Terror Outfit
With Bhatti and Abid Jatt linked to the newly emerged outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Hindustan (TTH), intelligence officials also questioned Khan, who was in judicial remand. Acting on specific intelligence inputs, the Medchal police arrested Khan on May 23 from an eatery in Medchal, where he had been working as a waiter since February 2026.
Evidence Seized
Police searched his room and found two toy pistols. They also seized his phone containing WhatsApp and Instagram chats with Abid and Rana. A suo motu case was registered under Sections 152 (Act endangering sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India) and 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
