New Delhi, September 17, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is expected to coordinate with Interpol for a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Pakistani gangster Shehzad Bhatti as Indian agencies intensify their investigation into his network following its designation as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday designated the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA and added it to the First Schedule of the Act. The government has alleged that the network is involved in cross-border smuggling of arms, explosives and narcotics, besides recruiting and radicalising youths and petty criminals for terrorist activities.
According to officials cited in the report, Indian agencies are prioritising completion of the investigation and filing of a chargesheet detailing the activities of the network and Bhatti’s alleged role.
Once the chargesheet is filed, the CBI is expected to approach Interpol for an RCN against Bhatti. Officials also said an RCN can be sought during an ongoing investigation if an arrest warrant has been issued and the case meets the required criteria.
Intelligence officials cited in the report said Bhatti has been operating from locations including Dubai and Brazil. They claimed that Indian agencies believe he could face action in those countries and may subsequently be sent to Pakistan.
These claims about Bhatti’s movements and the alleged involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) are attributed to Indian intelligence and security officials. They have not been independently established in the material reviewed.
Officials further alleged that Bhatti was recruited by the ISI while he was in Dubai and subsequently operated his network from outside Pakistan. They claimed he moved between countries to avoid detection and that the network was structured to obscure its alleged links to Pakistan.
The investigation is also examining allegations concerning the use of the name Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH). Officials claimed Bhatti’s network deliberately adopted the name to create the impression that it was linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The MHA has said the Bhatti network targeted India’s democratic structure and communal harmony and used digital platforms to circulate hateful content. The government has also alleged that the network recruited vulnerable youths for activities including surveillance, smuggling and terror-related operations.
The designation followed a nationwide crackdown against the network in which security agencies carried out operations across 14 states and Union Territories. According to the MHA, the network had been involved in recruiting youths and petty criminals into terrorism and cross-border trafficking of arms, explosives and narcotics.
Bhatti has also been named as an absconder in an NIA chargesheet in connection with a grenade attack on the residence of YouTuber Roger Sandhu in Jalandhar. The NIA filed the chargesheet in April 2026 under provisions of the UAPA, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Indian agencies are now seeking to consolidate the cases linked to the network and pursue international legal measures against Bhatti.
Officials said dismantling the network and bringing its alleged key operator before Indian courts remain priorities as the investigation progresses.
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