The digital recruiter | Shahzad Bhatti
The Pakistani social media influencer’s campaign to establish fear and clout in India has spread to 14 States, leading the Home Ministry to designate his network as a terror group
Social-media influencer Shahzad Bhatti from Pakistan has been linked to terror-related activities in India for the past two years. Initially, his attempts to spread fear and garner attention in Punjab's border state evolved into actions that affected 14 Indian states. Young individuals, lured by promises of work in the Gulf or resolving personal issues, found themselves imprisoned under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for carrying out his directives.
These tasks included displaying posters depicting Bhatti and his associates, installing CCTVs near vital installations, and making extortion calls. On September 16, the Union Home Ministry designated the "Shahzad Bhatti Network" (SBN) as a terrorist group under UAPA, citing their threat to national security and democratic values.
Over 200 suspects associated with SBN were detained or arrested in a nationwide counter-terror operation before Independence Day. Bhatti, now based in the UAE, uses social media platforms to showcase his lavish lifestyle and boast about his activities. He graduated from involvement in organized crime to terror-related activities within the past year, drawing attention from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
Security officials have flagged several of his Instagram accounts, which end with '333'. Prior to the pre-Independence Day raids, Delhi Police had blocked 125 Instagram accounts related to Bhatti. Since October 2025, 15 FIRs have been registered and 69 accused arrested, predominantly from Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. These individuals, largely lacking education and facing financial hardships, were recruited via social media with the promise of relocation to the Gulf or resolving personal matters.
Bhatti's criminal journey began in Punjab, eventually spreading to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala. The SBN was designated as a "terrorist organization" under Section 35(I) of the UAPA on September 16. The Ministry listed nine categories of crimes linked to SBN, including smuggling arms, explosives, and narcotics, under various laws like IT Act, 2000, Explosives Substances Act, UAPA, Official Secrets Act, 1923, Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025, and Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 2007.
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