Pune: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on Tuesday conducted searches at 65 locations across Pune city and district as well as Pimpri Chinchwad, questioning and detaining 50 young men suspected of being in touch through social media with Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti.On Friday and Saturday, state ATS had conducted searches across the state, interrogating over 200 young men for their links with Bhatti. The gangster is an agent with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence, said officials.Earlier, a Delhi police investigation had revealed that several individuals from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were in contact with Bhatti. Subsequent interrogation of some suspects indicated that youths from Maharashtra were also involved.Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 22 ATS teams conducted searches in Kondhwa, Yerawada, Vishrantwadi, Kothrud, Parvati, Chakan, Mhalunge, Wakad, Chikhali, Alandi and Kudalwadi in Pimpri Chinchwad and Shirur, Shikrapur, Ranjangaon, Khed and Rajgurunagar in Pune district. During the operation, 50 people were detained for questioning. Officials seized cellphones and other digital devices of the men for further examination.The ATS said all the detained youths were allegedly in contact with Bhatti. The purpose of the inquiry was to identify such young men, rescue them from Bhatti’s influence and initiate legal action wherever serious evidence emerged.A senior ATS officer told TOI: “The gangster operates from abroad, allegedly through social media.” Senior officials said Bhatti and his associates establish contact with youths from across India.Officials said Bhatti monitors social media profiles of youths who glorify crime. He allegedly identifies individuals who upload photographs posing with country-made pistols, sickles, swords or other weapons. The network also contacts individuals who like or comment on videos related to Pakistan or crime. They send messages glorifying crime and attempt to influence them to participate in anti-national activities. The ISI agent gets in touch subsequently and assigns seemingly harmless tasks initially — like taking photographs of a location or collecting information. In return, he sends the young individuals money, gradually drawing them deeper into his trap. Later, he assigns them serious tasks like trafficking narcotics and smuggling weapons into India from across the border.Moreover, most youths allegedly in contact with Bhatti are unemployed and spend considerable time on social media via their cellphones. ATS officials said Bhatti lures them into criminal activities with financial incentives.The ATS has found that money was transferred from Pakistan to the bank account of one of the youths detained on Tuesday. Investigators are examining the method used and trying to identify those responsible.
