Delhi Police have busted an alleged ISI-sponsored inter-state terror and arms network, arresting four accused—all from Punjab—for allegedly plotting a terror attack in the national capital, officials said on Thursday.
Police said the accused were allegedly in contact with Pakistan-based ISI handler Shahzad Bhatti and were using foreign mobile numbers arranged by Pakistani handlers to evade detection.
One of the accused had allegedly conducted reconnaissance (recce) of police establishments and religious places in Delhi and was tasked with carrying out a firing incident.
The four accused have been identified as Shubdeep Singh alias Vishal (23) and Gurjant Singh alias Rishi (22), both residents of Tarn Taran district in Punjab; Sajan Singh alias Honey (28) from Amritsar district; and Gaganpreet (24) from Fatehgarh Sahib district. Police said three of the accused were arrested from Punjab, while Gaganpreet was apprehended in Delhi.
Police recovered two firearms—a Zigana pistol and a .30 bore pistol—along with nine live cartridges and five mobile phones.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Praveen Kumar Tripathi, the operation was launched following credible and specific intelligence that Pakistan-based ISI handler Shahzad Bhatti, along with other Pakistan-based associates, was planning a terror attack in the Delhi-NCR region. The inputs further indicated that youths from Punjab had been recruited for the conspiracy.
Based on source information and technical analysis, police identified several suspects and conducted multiple raids across Delhi and Punjab. The first arrest was made on Majitha Road in Amritsar, where Shubdeep Singh was apprehended. Police recovered a semi-automatic pistol, five live cartridges and two mobile phones from his possession.
During interrogation, Shubdeep allegedly revealed that he was in contact with Pakistan-based handlers linked to the Shahzad Bhatti network and had been receiving arms and narcotics consignments through drones, the DCP said.
On June 24, Gaganpreet was arrested in Delhi. Police recovered a mobile phone containing several incriminating pieces of evidence. He had allegedly been tasked by his Pakistan-based handlers with conducting recce of religious places and police establishments in Delhi and executing a firing incident.
According to Delhi Police, Shubdeep, a resident of Tarn Taran near the India-Pakistan border, allegedly received drone-dropped consignments of arms and narcotics from Pakistan and communicated with ISI handlers through foreign mobile numbers. He had previously been arrested in an NDPS case.
Police said Gurjant Singh, also from Tarn Taran, and his cousin Sajan Singh from Amritsar allegedly assisted in receiving drone-delivered arms and narcotics while remaining in contact with Pakistani handlers through foreign numbers. Sajan had also previously been arrested in an NDPS case.
Gaganpreet, a resident of Fatehgarh Sahib, was allegedly instructed by Pakistani handlers through social media to conduct recce of police stations and pickets in Delhi and carry out a firing attack, police added.
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