The Union home ministry formally designated the Shahzad Bhatti Network as a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act on September 16. The group was placed at serial number 46 of the Section 35 list, resulting in asset freezes and support bans. Officials cited cross-border smuggling of arms, explosives, and narcotics, as well as the recruitment of young people via social media. The ministry also noted suspected links with cross-border handlers and financing trails across multiple states.
This listing follows an enforcement sweep on August 12 where police detained 253 suspects across 14 states and filed over 80 first-information reports. Uttar Pradesh police pushed for this central designation after tracing inter-state modules and digital propaganda nodes. Legal consequences of the ban now include punishment for membership, fundraising, and harbouring, alongside existing criminal charges.
Civil-liberties lawyers cautioned that UAPA listings carry stringent bail limits and urged time-bound trials to test the evidence. Meanwhile, security analysts stated that the real test involves disrupting logistics and online recruitment rather than the ban’s symbolic value. Investigators are expected to further attach properties and bank accounts as they file supplementary charge sheets.