Muzaffarpur: The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a man from Bihar for allegedly spying for Pakistan, officials said. The accused, identified as Mohammad Mustafa, was detained during a raid in Muzaffarpur district following inputs received by the ATS Special Intelligence Unit.
According to officials, Mustafa was allegedly linked to anti-India operatives and maintained direct contact with Pakistan-based arms smuggler Shehzad Bhatti and his associates. Investigators claimed he used social media platforms and encrypted messaging applications to coordinate activities that posed a threat to national security.
During a raid at Ratanpur village, ATS officials seized Mustafa’s mobile phone, which reportedly contained suspicious chats, photographs, and videos.
The ATS said forensic examination of the device uncovered objectionable and anti-national material, including images and videos of sensitive and restricted locations in India. Officials further alleged that Mustafa shared the exact geographical coordinates of these sites with his handlers in Pakistan.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Mustafa allegedly recorded videos of strategic locations and passed confidential information to contacts abroad. The ATS said it is examining his travel history, digital devices, financial transactions, call records, social media activity, and international connections to determine the scale of the network and identify any foreign funding links.
The agency has registered a case against Mustafa under various sections related to espionage and anti-national activities, while further legal proceedings are underway.
Muzaffarpur has witnessed similar cases in the past. Naushad Ali, also known as Lalu, was previously arrested in Faridabad for his alleged involvement in a network accused of sharing sensitive information with Pakistan. Earlier, the Ghaziabad Police had detained nine suspects, and subsequent interrogation reportedly led to the arrest of 11 more individuals, including Naushad, in March.
Reaffirming its stance, the ATS said it remains committed to protecting the country’s security and sovereignty by taking strict action against individuals engaged in anti-national activities.
