UP Police bust Pak-handled sleeper cell, arrest 4 suspects

Lucknow: In a joint operation, UP ATS and STF on Wednesday busted a suspected sleeper cell, allegedly operating at the behest of ISI and linked to Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti, and arrested four suspects from UP’s Saharanpur.The accused were identified as Mehkab, 22, and Shahrukh, 20, of Saharanpur, Gagandeep aka Guri Singh, 25, of Muzaffarnagar, and Musharraf, 22, of Haridwar.Officials said the accused were part of a network attempting to recruit and radicalise Indian youth through social media platforms and online communication channels.Police said a case was registered at ATS police station in Lucknow. Officials added that police would seek custodial remand of the accused from the court to obtain information regarding their associates and individuals connected with the network.According to investigators, Pakistani handlers Shahzad Bhatti and his aide Abid Jat were operating under directions from Pakistan’s ISI and using social media platforms to lure Indian youth by promising financial aid. Authorities claimed the network was systematically attempting to create sleeper cells and motivate recruits to participate in terror-linked and destructive activities in India.The ATS and STF launched a coordinated operation across UP after identifying suspicious individuals and monitoring their activities. During the investigation, ATS teams gathered intelligence inputs and initiated legal action based on the findings.Preliminary interrogation revealed that the accused were in regular contact with their Pakistani handlers through social media applications and video-calling platforms. Investigators said the suspects were told to gather information related to sensitive installations, hospitals and other potential targets. They were also tasked with expanding the network by recruiting more youth and encouraging them to participate in anti-national activities.Police further claimed that in March 2026, Mehkar and Gagandeep met in Noida to discuss plans related to carrying out a major attack. During the meeting, discussions reportedly took place regarding financial arrangements and procurement of weapons.UP’s ADG (Law and Order) Amitabh Yash said, “Initial investigations indicate attempts to build sleeper cells and establish contacts with foreign handlers. Further legal action is being taken and all links associated with the network are being investigated.”The arrests come barely a month after the ATS busted another alleged Pakistan-linked network in UP run by Shahzad Bhatti and his associate Abid Jat. In that case, ATS had arrested Tushar Chauhan alias Hizbullah Ali Khan, 20, who allegedly issued death threats through WhatsApp calls while keeping Pakistani handlers connected on conference calls. Investigators had then claimed that the handlers directly monitored conversations and reinforced threats issued to targets, particularly individuals who had embraced Hinduism.The ATS traced more than 20 such threat calls and claimed the Pakistan-based number involved had links with Bhatti and Abid Jat. Officials further alleged that Tushar had been radicalised online and, along with co-accused Sameer Khan, was preparing reconnaissance and planning attacks at selected targets in Delhi-NCR under instructions from foreign handlers.Officials believe the recurrence of Bhatti’s name in successive investigations suggests attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to exploit social media and encrypted platforms for recruitment, radicalisation and creating local modules in India.