Jaipur: Bikaner police Tuesday arrested an 18-year-old man for allegedly providing an Indian SIM card to an associate of a Pakistani terrorist.The accused, Anil Kumar Bishnoi, a resident of Gaudu village under Bajju police station limits, was in contact with operatives linked to Pakistani terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, police said.Police said the accused shared the OTP on July 17, allowing the SIM card to be activated in Pakistan. The SIM remains active in Pakistan and security agencies are analysing all activity linked to it since its activation, police said.During questioning, the accused allegedly disclosed how the SIM card was purchased and later activated. Investigators are also examining his mobile phone and other SIM cards obtained using his identity documents to determine whether they were similarly misused.Police said several other youths in the region are under the scanner over suspected links with Bhatti.“Investigation has revealed that an associate of the Bhatti gang first established contact with the accused. He allegedly persuaded him to hand over the SIM card and later obtained the OTP required for its activation,” a senior police officer said.Investigators suspect the SIM may have been used for unlawful activities in Pakistan. The accused remains in custody, and further investigation is underway.Police described Bhatti as a Pakistan-based organised crime figure under investigation for allegedly operating a cross-border network and recruiting Indian youths through social media. A senior anti-terror officer alleged that the network has links with Pakistan-based handlers and is being investigated for facilitating activities directed against India’s security interests.Sources said investigators are also examining whether Bhatti’s network has been attempting to expand its reach in border districts such as Bikaner and Sriganganagar. They said several recent cases under investigation involve suspects allegedly recruited by the network to photograph and record videos of sensitive locations, including police establishments, in Rajasthan.
