The Delhi Police’s Special Cell announced on Tuesday the arrest of seven individuals allegedly linked to a Pakistan-backed international terror-crime syndicate. The group is accused of smuggling arms and narcotics into the Delhi-NCR region and planning attacks, including one targeting an eatery in Haryana.
Syndicate Operatives and Leadership
According to an officer, the module was reportedly run by gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti and his associate Ajmal Gujjar, who are believed to operate under the patronage of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). The arrested suspects were identified as Anas (26) from Ashok Vihar; Mohit (26), Deepak (38), Arif (30), Jatan (29), and Sabir (30), all residents of Loni, Ghaziabad; and Karanveer Singh (26) from Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab.
Seizures and Evidence
Police conducted a targeted operation, leading to the arrest of the seven suspects and searches of their premises. Authorities seized five sophisticated semi-automatic pistols, 41 live cartridges, seven mobile phones containing incriminating chats and voice notes, and a Scorpio vehicle linked to the syndicate.
The Special Cell had been monitoring Pakistan-sponsored terror networks operating through criminal proxies. Intelligence received in mid-May 2026 indicated that Shahzad Bhatti and Ajmal Gujjar were recruiting youths via social media to carry out attacks in the Delhi-NCR region.
Recruitment and Radicalization
Accused Mohit was apprehended near the Bhagirath Water Treatment Plant in Yamuna Vihar. Police recovered an illegal pistol, four live cartridges, and a mobile phone with incriminating chats. Interrogation revealed that recruits were radicalized and lured with money, promises of quick gains, and a glorified criminal lifestyle.
Reconnaissance and Targets
DCP (Special Cell) Narra Chaitanya stated that the accused conducted reconnaissance of several potential targets, including a well-known eatery in Haryana, certain personalities in Delhi and Loni, and other sensitive locations in the Delhi-NCR. Photographs and videos of these sites were allegedly transmitted to handlers in Pakistan to aid operational planning.
Smuggling and Communication Methods
The network smuggled arms and heroin or chitta from Pakistan into India via Punjab, sometimes using drone deliveries and dead-drop mechanisms. Communications were routed through encrypted apps, disposable SIMs, and anonymous social media accounts. Financial transactions for weapons were executed via UPI scanner transactions and accounts linked to persons in Dubai, masking payments through intermediaries.
Prison Links
The investigation also revealed that jailed gangster Deepak Agrola, currently lodged in Mandoli jail, was introduced to handlers by Anas. Agrola reportedly used contacts inside prison to facilitate procurements. One accused, Arif, allegedly purchased a Jigana pistol for Rs 1 lakh through network conduits.
