Shahzad Bhatti Network declared a terrorist organisation under UAPA (File photo)Shahzad Bhatti Network declared a terrorist organisation under UAPA (File photo)
He has also been linked to the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala in 2022, according to sources, news agency PTI reported. His name has also been linked to a bomb blast at Baldev Nagar Police Station in Ambala district on January 10, 2026, and two low-intensity blasts at BSF headquarters in Jalandhar and Amritsar Cantonment on May 5, 2026, sources said. The Centre’s designation under the UAPA follows a multi-state crackdown in August in which more than 200 people were arrested or detained in connection with the network, according to a PIB report.
The Union home ministry said the network was involved in cross-border smuggling of arms, explosives and narcotics and in recruiting youths and local criminals for terror-related activities, PTI reported.
NEW DELHI: From a local criminal to an alleged ISI proxy involved in “hybrid terrorism”, Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti is accused of building a cross-border network for arms and narcotics smuggling over the years. Sources said he allegedly lured recruits with money to conduct reconnaissance and carry out targeted strikes. Despite being based in Dubai, Bhatti is suspected of maintaining an international network, including contacts in the US, Canada and Europe, sources said.
Bhatti is accused of using social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, to influence and recruit unemployed Indian youth for criminal activities. He is also suspected of using a Moroccan passport for international travel, PTI repprted. Bhatti’s activities represent a convergence of organised crime, social media-based recruitment and cross-border terror networks.
The government on Wednesday declared the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Bhatti, 45, a resident of Lahore and currently based in Dubai, is an absconding suspect in several Indian investigations. His alleged links to the 2022 murder of Moose Wala and his rivalry with groups associated with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi form a key part of his criminal trail, sources said.
Bhatti is affiliated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and acts as a “proxy” for the agency, allegedly orchestrating cross-border terror modules and commanding a syndicate involved in smuggling arms, narcotics and hand grenades, according to sources. Bhatti was accused of supplying the weapons allegedly used in the singer’s assassination, sources said.
Because sandhu had spoken against Islam, bhatti also claimed responsibility for a grenade attack at the residence of YouTuber Rozer Sandhu in Jalandhar on March 15, 2024, allegedly.
He was also allegedly involved in the 2024 murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique, with sources saying he assisted Zeeshan Akhtar, a key conspirator in the case, in fleeing India and settling in Azerbaijan, PTI reported. However, the allegations against him have not been legally proven and the cases remain under investigation. (With agency inputs) You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Delhi | Silver Rate in Delhi | Bank Holidays in Delhi | Public Holidays in Delhi | Delhi AQI | Weather in Delhi | Petrol Price in Delhi | Diesel Price in Delhi | CNG Price in Delhi | LPG Price in Delhi Stay updated with the latest Delhi news. Download the TOI App.