India Designates 'Shahzad Bhatti Network' as Terror Group Over Cross-Border Operations
India's Home Ministry has designated the Shahzad Bhatti Network as a terrorist group under the UAPA, following a digital recruitment campaign across 14 States led by a Pakistani social media influencer.
Over the past two years, the name of a social media influencer from Pakistan has increasingly surfaced in terror-related investigations across India. Initially starting as an effort by an individual identified as Shahzad Bhatti to establish fear and clout in the border State of Punjab, the campaign eventually expanded across 14 States. Numerous young individuals have found themselves detained or imprisoned under India's stringent anti-terror legislation, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), for executing directives linked to this digital operation.
On September 16, the Union Home Ministry officially designated the 'Shahzad Bhatti Network' (SBN) as a terrorist group under the UAPA. According to a formal notification issued by the Ministry, the outfit poses a serious threat to India's democratic system, communal harmony, and internal security through its ongoing activities. This designation follows a massive nationwide counter-terror operation conducted ahead of Independence Day, which resulted in the detention or arrest of over 200 suspects linked to the SBN network.
Bhatti, who operates primarily from the United Arab Emirates, frequently posts videos on Instagram and Facebook. Communicating in Punjabi and utilizing visual filters, his online presence typically features him dressed in traditional pathani suits while getting out of expensive vehicles or standing near snooker tables, accompanied by boastful background music. Security officials note that his social media accounts often end in the numerical sequence '333'.
According to security officials cited by The Hindu, Bhatti has graduated from organized crimes to terror-related activities over the past year. He was reportedly tapped by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) due to his significant reach among Indian audiences on social media platforms. Prior to the sweeping pre-Independence Day raids and arrests, Delhi Police had already blocked 125 Instagram accounts associated with Bhatti. Since October 2025, law enforcement agencies have registered 15 First Information Reports and arrested 69 accused individuals, with roughly two-thirds of those arrests concentrated in the States of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
The geographical scope of the network's activities extends far beyond its origins in Punjab. Law enforcement records show criminal and terror associations spreading to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala.
With this action, the SBN becomes the 46th organization to be formally designated as a terrorist outfit under Section 35(1) of the UAPA of 1967, which grants the Home Ministry the authority to apply such classifications. The Ministry's notification outlines nine categories of offenses registered under various legal frameworks, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Information Technology Act of 2000, the Explosives Substances Act, the UAPA, the Official Secrets Act of 1923, the Immigration and Foreigners Act of 2025, and the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act of 2007. The government maintains that the SBN aims to enlist gullible youth and local criminals to facilitate the cross-border smuggling of arms, explosives, and narcotics.
Detailing the recruitment methods, a Uttar Pradesh police officer explained that Bhatti initially engaged with young users who interacted with his social media content, offering them modest financial incentives ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹10,000. Recruits were initially tasked with putting up posters bearing his images in public spaces to project him as a gangster and instill fear. Over time, some of these individuals were advanced to more dangerous assignments, such as throwing grenades or planting explosive devices near critical infrastructure installations.
Investigators noted that financial compensation, often funneled through bank accounts originating from Central Asian countries, served as a primary motivator for vulnerable recruits, while others were lured with promises of relocation to the Gulf or assistance in resolving personal disputes. In some instances, religious sentiments were also exploited. After evaluating a recruit's willingness to undertake risks, Bhatti allegedly assigned more serious operations, such as installing Chinese-made closed-circuit television cameras near railway stations, air bases, and major roadways to livestream footage directly to Pakistan. In a separate instance, he allegedly transmitted online instructions on constructing petrol bombs and improvised explosive devices to operatives in Punjab.
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