The name of Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti has surfaced repeatedly in multiple investigations linked to terror recruitment, radicalisation, and espionage activities in India over the past several months. More than a dozen cases have reportedly been registered against him by various agencies.
Bhatti, a Lahore-based gangster, has allegedly been operating out of Dubai for several years while frequently travelling between Pakistan, the UAE and other countries in the Middle East, according to investigating agencies. With multiple cases linked to terror recruitment and radicalisation being registered against him, Indian agencies are now prioritising efforts to secure his extradition and bring him to trial.
An Indian security agency official said Bhatti had managed to exploit certain legal and jurisdictional gaps to stay beyond the reach of Indian investigators.
“He is not an Indian national and belongs to Pakistan. Moreover, he has never travelled to India, which has made the extradition process more complicated,” the official said.
Another official said that although the extradition process would be complicated, it was still achievable. Agencies are expected to coordinate with countries where Bhatti is believed to be operating in an effort to bring him to India for trial, the official added.
Officials pointed to previous terror investigations to underline that such extraditions, though difficult, are possible. One of the key accused in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks was extradited to India after exhausting all legal appeals in courts in the US.
In the case of David Headley, extradition could not proceed because of a plea bargain agreement with US authorities. Under the pact, Headley was allowed to remain in the US and could not be extradited to India. Indian investigators, however, were permitted to question him, and later appeared through video conferencing during the trial proceedings.
Officials describe Bhatti as a high-value operative who is likely to receive protection from Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). According to security agencies, there are concerns that he may return to Pakistan if Indian efforts to secure his extradition begin to gain traction.
An Intelligence Bureau official said the immediate priority was to dismantle Bhatti’s recruitment network, which investigators believe has been functioning largely through social media platforms. Bhatti and several of his Pakistan-based associates are alleged to have used online channels extensively to identify and recruit operatives.
Investigators said youngsters from various states were allegedly targeted with promises of money, influence and recognition. They are made to believe they will become heroes. “Financial incentives and the lure of power have also been used during recruitment,” the official said.
Investigators believe Bhatti’s recruitment network was intended to facilitate attacks in different parts of the country. Initially, agencies suspected that the recruitment drive was largely focused on carrying out strikes in Punjab.
Bhatti’s name first surfaced prominently in March 2024 after a grenade attack near the residence of Punjabi YouTuber Rozer Sandhu in Jalandhar, Punjab. Investigators had also linked his network to the murder of Nationalist Congress Party leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai in October 2024.
Several arrests made this year are also believed to be connected to Bhatti’s network. Recently, the Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested nine persons from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat.
According to investigators, all the accused had allegedly been recruited by Bhatti and were instructed to target a major temple in Delhi, a military camp in Haryana, and a popular eatery along the Delhi-Sonipat highway.
In April, two people were arrested in Madhya Pradesh after investigators found that they were allegedly planning grenade attacks outside crowded restaurants in Delhi. Agencies are also probing possible links between Bhatti’s network and the low-intensity blasts reported near the Border Security Force headquarters and Amritsar Cantonment on May 5.
According to investigators, Bhatti has claimed to have established networks in 16 countries and to command nearly 200 operatives. His recruitment activities are not confined to any single region in India, with youths from several states allegedly being drawn into the network. This has prompted closer coordination among police forces across different states.
Investigators further said the recruitment pattern suggests that operatives are often used for a single assignment and then discarded. “It functions like a disposable module. Once a recruit completes a task, he is usually not used again for another operation,” an official said.
The recruitment operations need to be stopped at the earliest; otherwise, the situation could spiral out of control, the official said, adding that agencies were simultaneously pursuing efforts to secure Bhatti’s extradition.
