Home Ministry declares Shahzad Bhatti Network as terrorist organisation under UAPA - The Indian Express
The Union Home Ministry on Wednesday declared the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) a “terrorist organisation”. The decision has been taken after the Centre found that SBN is involved in terrorism and has participated in various acts of terrorism in India.
Union Home Minister, Amit Shah posted on X, “Pursuing PM Shri @narendramodi Ji’s vision of zero tolerance against terror, the MHA declares the Shahzad Bhatti Network as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA. The group is involved in the smuggling of arms, explosives and narcotics across borders, apart from inciting youths and petty criminals into terrorism. Targeting India’s democratic structure and the fabric of communal harmony, the syndicate also published hateful digital content.”
The SBN has been declared a “terrorist organisation” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), inserting it in the First Schedule of the law after a string of nationwide crackdowns that officials say foiled subversive plots ahead of Independence Day.
The notification, issued under Section 35 of the UAPA, empowers agencies to treat SBN and its cadres as a designated terror entity and pursue enhanced charges including terror financing, membership and conspiracy. “SBN is an organisation whose objective is to involve gullible youth and local criminals to smuggle arms, explosives, and narcotics from across the border, and through terrorist activities, pose a serious threat to the democratic system, communal harmony, and internal security of the country,” the notification said.
Last month – days before Independence Day, security agencies launched a nationwide crackdown on an alleged Bhatti-linked network, detaining 253 people across 14 states and recovering explosives, firearms, and surveillance equipment. The recoveries, allegedly including IEDs, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras said to have been used for espionage, point to direct cross-border links.
According to the notification, SBN is involved in radicalising gullible youth by offering various allurements, motivating them for anti-national activities, and mobilising resources for anti national acts in collusion with other banned organisations and designated entities.
“SBN is promoting terrorism through violent activities that disrupt public order and by using various digital communication platforms to disseminate provocative messages, posing a serious challenge to the integrity of the nation,” it said. Several criminal cases were registered against the cadres of SBN across multiple jurisdictions for their involvement in unlawful and terrorist activities.
The Shahzad Bhatti Network is allegedly a Pakistan-based, ISI-backed terror syndicate linked to grenade, IED and petrol bomb attacks, targeted killings and surveillance of police, defence and religious sites.
Officials said the network allegedly paid local conduits to conduct reconnaissance and install CCTV cameras for espionage. “Bhatti, who is believed to move between Dubai and Pakistan, faces allegations related to bomb-making and supply of illegal arms and ammunition to India, Dubai, the US and Canada. He is also said to be close to Balochistan-based gangster Farooq Khokhar,” an official said.
Bhatti has also been accused of using social media to lure youngsters and linked to the March 2025 grenade attack at the residence of YouTuber Rozer Sandhu in Jalandhar, Punjab. He has also been accused in connection with a threat issued to actor Mithun Chakraborty in November 2024 over the actor’s purported remarks against Muslims.
