ISI-linked terror plot busted: 4 arrested for planned Delhi attack
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Delhi Police's Special Cell has arrested four men from Punjab and Delhi for allegedly conspiring to carry out a terror attack in the national capital, acting on directions from a Pakistan-based ISI handler identified as Shahzad Bhatti, officials said on Thursday, 2 July. The arrests follow specific intelligence inputs and coordinated raids across multiple locations in Delhi and Punjab.
Who Was Arrested
The four accused have been identified as Shubdeep Singh (23), Gurjant Singh (22), Sajan Singh (28), and Gaganpreet (24). Three of the accused are residents of Punjab, while the fourth was apprehended from Delhi. During the operation, police recovered two foreign-made pistols, nine live cartridges, and five mobile phones from their possession.
How the Operation Unfolded
Acting on intelligence inputs, a Special Cell team led by Inspectors Satish Rana and Ashok, under the supervision of ACP Vivek Kumar Tyagi, conducted coordinated raids at multiple locations across Delhi and Punjab. The first arrest was made in Amritsar, where Shubdeep Singh — also known as Vishal — was taken into custody along with a pistol, live cartridges, and multiple mobile phones.
Based on his interrogation, police subsequently arrested Gurjant Singh (alias Rishi) and Sajan Singh (alias Honey) from separate locations in Punjab. The fourth accused, Gaganpreet, was apprehended in Delhi on 24 April.
Alleged Cross-Border Links and Drone Drops
During sustained interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed that they maintained regular contact with Pakistani handlers through foreign phone numbers to evade surveillance by Indian agencies. Investigators further claimed that the group received consignments of arms and narcotics delivered via drones dropped across the international border.
Shubdeep Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran district — located close to the India-Pakistan border — had previously been arrested in a narcotics-related case, according to police. Both Gurjant Singh and Sajan Singh also hail from Tarn Taran and Amritsar respectively, and have previously been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, officials stated.
Gaganpreet's Alleged Role in Delhi Reconnaissance
Investigators alleged that Gaganpreet, a resident of Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab, conducted reconnaissance of police stations and religious places in Delhi and was assigned the task of carrying out a firing incident in the capital. He reportedly remained in contact with Pakistani handlers through social media platforms and was allegedly instructed to prepare videos of police establishments and other sensitive locations for further operational planning.
Legal Action and What Comes Next
A case has been registered under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act. Further investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining the full scope of the alleged network and its cross-border links. This bust comes amid a broader pattern of ISI-linked modules being dismantled in Punjab and Delhi — a region that has seen a marked uptick in drone-based arms smuggling along the India-Pakistan border in recent years.