Centre Declares Pakistan-Based Shahzad Bhatti Network A Terrorist Outfit Under UAPA

The Centre has declared the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday, according to PTI. Shah said the move followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of zero tolerance against terror.

Shah detailed the syndicate's cross-border operations on social media. "The group is involved in smuggling of arms, explosives and narcotics across borders, apart from inciting youths and petty criminals into terrorism. Targeting India's democratic structure and the fabric of communal harmony, the syndicate also published hateful digital content," the minister posted on X, PTI reported.

The Union Home Affairs Ministry issued a gazette order on Wednesday under Section 35(1)(a) of the anti-terror law. This step inserted "Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN)" into the First Schedule because the group engaged in "terrorism and has participated in various acts of terrorism in India." This inclusion makes SBN the 46th group on the list.

Bhatti Network Allegations

The outfit targets local recruits. "'Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN)' is an organisation whose objective is to involve gullible youth and local criminals to smuggle arms, explosives, and narcotics from across the border, and through terrorist activities, pose a serious threat to the democratic system, communal harmony, and internal security of the country," the notification added. It also engages in "radicalising gullible youth" through lures while coordinating anti-national operations alongside other outlawed entities.

It also cited criminal cases against alleged SBN members under the UAPA, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Arms Act, Explosives Act, Information Technology Act and Prevention of Defacement of Property Act. "And whereas, the 'Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN)' is promoting terrorism through violent activities that disrupt public order and by using various digital communication platforms to disseminate provocative messages, posing a serious challenge to the integrity of the nation," the notification read.

Security Agency Links

Security agencies have described Bhatti as a Pakistan-origin gangster-turned-terror handler and social media influencer operating mainly out of the UAE, according to ndtv.com. He has been identified as an ISI-backed operative who recruits Indian youth through online platforms for espionage, sabotage and targeted killings, ndtv.com reported.

Investigators have linked the network to specific attacks. The National Investigation Agency has named Bhatti a key conspirator in the November 2025 blast at the Sirsa Women Police Station and the January 2026 car-bomb explosion at the Baldev Nagar police station in Ambala.

Agencies have also tied the network to modules that Delhi Police Special Cell and UP ATS dismantled in 2026. Those modules were allegedly targeting political leaders and critical infrastructure, and the crackdown in August 2026 led to the arrest of more than 250 operatives across 14 states.

Indian security agencies and the National Investigation Agency say SBN worked with the banned Khalistani terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa International, including in a joint grenade attack on a police station in Nalagarh, Himachal Pradesh.