The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) arrested a 33-year-old man from Mumbai’s Mahim area on Saturday over his alleged links to the Pakistan-based banned terror organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).
Investigators are also probing potential communications between the suspect and Pakistani intelligence operatives.
Digital Investigation and Charges
The accused has been identified as Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar. According to the ATS, the case came to light following a detailed monitor of his social media footprint and activity inside a Telegram group.
A forensic examination of Akhtar’s mobile phone uncovered inflammatory social media posts and audio clips featuring JeM founder and chief Masood Azhar. Following these findings, the Kalachowki unit of the ATS registered an official case against Akhtar under Section 196(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Recent Terror Plot Crackdowns
The Mumbai arrest follows a major anti-terror crackdown conducted in July, during which the Gujarat ATS arrested eight individuals—seven from Gujarat and one from Madhya Pradesh—for allegedly conspiring to build an active JeM network across the state.
According to official statements, the Gujarat operatives formed an entity titled “Darul Islam Gujarat Jaish-e-Mohammed” to recruit members, propagate radical ideology by translating JeM literature from Urdu to Gujarati, and coordinate directly with Pakistan-based handlers identified as Abdullah and Mohammad Umar to execute terror activities.
