Terror plot foiled as 11 suspects linked to ISI, Babbar Khalsa arrested in Delhi and Punjab
Four pistols and 24 live cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused. Weapons were being smuggled to facilitate the operations of this terror module.
The Special Cell of Delhi Police on Friday busted a terror module sponsored by Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, and the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), arresting 11 suspects from Punjab and Delhi. Acting on leads provided by these suspects, the Special Cell recovered nine solar-powered CCTV cameras from various locations and these cameras had been installed in sensitive areas near security agency establishments and have since been uninstalled.
Four pistols and 24 live cartridges were recovered
Four pistols and 24 live cartridges were recovered from the possession of the accused. Weapons were being smuggled to facilitate the operations of this terror module. According to sources, this entire module—along with their handlers based in Pakistan—was making plans to carry out grenade attacks in areas housing security agencies within India.
Following the recent busting of a terror module in Ghaziabad, the Special Cell of the Delhi Police had been receiving continuous intelligence inputs indicating that the Ghaziabad module was installing CCTV cameras in sensitive zones to transmit live feeds directly to Pakistan. Similarly, it was revealed that Pakistan-based handlers were operating another module of the same nature across Punjab and Delhi.
Special Cell bust racket involving arms smuggling to India
Two teams from the Special Cell subsequently began working on this specific module. The Special Cell busted a racket involving arms smuggling to India, the planning of grenade attacks, and espionage conducted through thermal solar CCTV cameras, all orchestrated at the behest of handlers based in Pakistan.
In the first instance, the Special Cell's NDR team arrested six accused —three from Punjab and three from Delhi. Acting on information provided by them, nine solar-powered CCTV cameras—which had been installed by security agencies near sensitive areas—were uninstalled and recovered. These cameras had been strategically placed in close proximity to defense bases.
The accused posed as members of the Civil Department, creating a ruse that they were installing government-authorised CCTV cameras to ensure that no one would grow suspicious of their activities.
Live feeds from CCTV cameras were transmitted to Pakistan
Live feeds from these CCTV cameras were transmitted directly to handlers in Pakistan via SIM cards; using this feed, the Pakistani handlers were monitoring our defense movements.
In addition to the cameras, authorities recovered three PX5 pistols, one country-made pistol, and 24 live cartridges from their possession. These accused received funds via UPI accounts, which were subsequently utilised to finance their arms smuggling operations.
In a separate operation—handled by the Special Cell's SWR team—five accused were arrested in Punjab following intelligence inputs from Military Intelligence (MI); these individuals were found to be sharing videos and photographs of sensitive areas.
The accused arrested in the first operation include:
Manpreet: A resident of Tarn Taran, Punjab, and the mastermind behind this module, who was in direct contact with the Pakistan-based handler.
Anmol: A resident of Ferozepur, Punjab.
Sahil: Ferozepur, Punjab.
Atul Rathi: Rohini, Delhi (involved in arms smuggling).
Rohit: Rohini, Delhi.
Ajay: Delhi.
The accused arrested in the second operation include:
Gurjit Singh: Kapurthala, Punjab.
Rimpaldeep: Fazilka, Punjab
Salwinder Singh: Fazilka, Punjab
Harpreet Singh: Moga, Punjab
Buta Singh: Fazilka, Punjab
9 solar-powered CCTV cameras—fitted with 9 SIM cards—were being used to transmit live feeds to Pakistan.
These cameras had been installed at the following locations:
- Kapurthala
- Jalandhar
- Pathankot
- Patiala
- Moga
- Ambala
- Kathua
- The Bikaner area of Jammu & Kashmir
- Alwar
Seized from their possession were 3 PX5 pistols, 1 country-made pistol, 24 live cartridges, two vehicles used for receiving weapons, and two motorcycles—which were utilised for conducting reconnaissance in sensitive areas—along with 24 mobile phones.
This was a major operation conducted by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, initiated following a highly precise intelligence input. According to this input, a massive conspiracy was underway—coordinated between the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) and Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI—to carry out terrorist activities in Delhi and Punjab.
As part of this racket, young and impoverished men were being radicalised, recruited, and lured with monetary incentives to participate in terrorist activities and arms trafficking within the country.
In connection with this matter, the Special Cell registered a case, identified the accused individuals, and—following raids conducted across Delhi and Punjab—arrested them along with incriminating evidence.
During interrogation, the arrested accused, Manpreet, revealed that he was in contact with Pakistan-based handlers linked to both the ISI and the BKI.
Acting on instructions from these Pakistan-based handlers, Manpreet received a consignment comprising 7 foreign-made pistols and 56 live cartridges, which he subsequently delivered to other parties.
It was Manpreet who procured mobile SIM cards using forged documents and supplied them to the contacts of the Pakistan-based handlers within Punjab.
These SIM cards were utilised to transmit live video feeds from the solar-powered CCTV cameras—installed in sensitive areas—directly to Pakistan. The profiles of the accused are also quite intriguing.
Profiles of the accused are quite intriguing:
Manpreet Singh: He holds a BCA degree and is unmarried. He established contact with Pakistan-based handlers via encrypted messaging apps; received and delivered weapons; and procured SIM cards.
Anmol: He is a Class 10 pass-out and previously worked in wallpaper pasting, established contact with Pakistan-based handlers via encrypted apps; and, along with his associate Sahil, installed solar-powered CCTV cameras in defense-sensitive areas of Punjab.
Sahil: He is a Class 12 pass-out; unmarried; assisted Anmol in the installation of CCTV cameras.
Atul Rathi: He earned an MBA degree in New Zealand; returned to India in 2004; established contact with a Pakistan-based handler via an encrypted app; and received 4 foreign-made pistols from Manpreet.
Rohit: He holds an MBA degree; involved in the smuggling of weapons from Punjab in collaboration with Atul Rathi.
Ajay: He was involved in the smuggling of weapons.
Gurjit Singh: He was involved in sending photographs and videos of Army Cantonment areas to Pakistan-based handlers.
Rimandeep Singh: He was involved in sharing photographs and location details of Army and BSF units with Pakistan-based handlers.
Harpreet Singh: He was involved in drug smuggling and providing intelligence regarding the Armed Forces to Pakistan-based handlers.
Salwinder Singh: He collaborated with Rimandeep to photograph sensitive areas and share the resulting photos and videos.
Boota Singh: He was involved in photographing and videographing BSF and Army Cantonment areas, and transmitting this footage to Pakistan-based handlers.
Through this operation, a module operated by the Pakistan-based ISI-BKL has been exposed; it involves luring youths with monetary incentives to install CCTV cameras in sensitive Army, Defense, and BSF zones, thereby providing live feeds to conduct espionage and gather sensitive information regarding troop movements.
A major conspiracy has been uncovered involving the supply of weapons, terrorist activities, the collection of intelligence via CCTV surveillance, and a subsequent plot to carry out grenade attacks within Army and Defense installations.
According to the Special Cell, nine solar-powered CCTV cameras have been removed from nearly all the locations identified by the accused; however, the operation is still going on.