The Special Cell of the Delhi Police has arrested nine individuals linked to a terror network allegedly coordinated by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate, with investigators identifying a handler named Shehzad Bhatti as the module's central operational figure. According to officials, the network had planned coordinated attacks across Delhi and Mumbai, targeting critical urban infrastructure including commuter bridges.

Who Is Shehzad Bhatti

According to investigators, Bhatti has been operationally active for several months and is currently described by intelligence agencies as the ISI's most significant asset in anti-India operations. He allegedly directed the arrested accused to conduct reconnaissance of key locations in both Delhi and Mumbai. Officials say he operates primarily through social media platforms and coordinates between India's underworld figures and ISI handlers.

Beyond planning physical strikes, Bhatti was reportedly also tasked with running a disinformation and fake narrative campaign targeting India — indicating a dual-track strategy of kinetic and information warfare, according to officials.

Targets and Scope of the Plot

Investigators found that bridges used by daily commuters in Mumbai were on the module's target list. The intent, an official said, was not merely to cause casualties but to disrupt city infrastructure and trigger widespread panic. Government offices in Delhi were also reportedly under surveillance by the network.

The module's payroll reportedly included individuals from Delhi, Pune, and Punjab. A person from Nepal was also taken into custody, allegedly recruited to arrange funding for the operation. Officials said funds were channelled through multiple routes, all of which remain under active investigation.

The ISI-Underworld Nexus

An Intelligence Bureau official said the ISI has been systematically deploying underworld networks and gangsters as proxies to execute strikes inside India — a strategy described as its 'home-grown terror module' approach. Dawood Ibrahim remains a central asset in this framework, with his syndicate being used for both narcotics smuggling and terror operations, the official added.

According to officials, the ISI has been pushing the Dawood syndicate to execute attacks in India since 2015. A comparable module was busted in Gujarat in 2015, which had allegedly prepared a hit list of prominent individuals with the aim of provoking communal violence. The Delhi module, officials said, was similar in design but significantly larger in scale and ambition.

Operation Sindoor and the Shifting ISI Strategy

Officials drew a direct line between the busted module and the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, the Indian armed forces' recent cross-border strikes. Since that operation, the ISI has reportedly intensified efforts to activate home-grown modules rather than deploying cross-border operatives — reducing its exposure while maintaining operational tempo.

The approach mirrors the ISI's alleged strategy in Punjab, where it has sought to leverage the gangster-terror nexus to revive the Khalistan movement. Officials say a similar template is now being applied through the Dawood network to target cities across the country. Investigators are working to establish whether the conspiracy extends beyond Delhi and Mumbai to other urban centres.