ISI likely to move Shehzad Bhatti to Pakistan as CBI seeks Interpol Red Corner Notice
Synopsis
India has banned the Shehzad Bhatti network under UAPA — and now intelligence agencies believe the ISI is preparing to move Bhatti from Dubai or Brazil to a safe house in Pakistan, exploiting the absence of an extradition treaty, while the CBI races to file a charge sheet and secure an Interpol Red Corner Notice before he slips out of reach.
Key Takeaways
The MHA has designated the Shehzad Bhatti network a banned terrorist organisation under UAPA .
Indian intelligence agencies assess that the ISI will likely move Bhatti to a safe house in Pakistan to evade India's extradition treaties with the UAE and Brazil .
The CBI is preparing to approach Interpol for a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Bhatti once a charge sheet is filed.
Bhatti was reportedly recruited by the ISI in Dubai and instructed to name his outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH) to create a false India-TTP link.
Home Minister Amit Shah has publicly flagged the network's threat to national security and called for its elimination.
The network allegedly recruited Indian youths for surveillance, smuggling, and disrupting communal harmony.
Indian intelligence agencies believe that Shehzad Bhatti, whose network has been designated a banned terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), is likely to be shifted to Pakistan by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) — as India holds extradition treaties with both the UAE and Brazil, where Bhatti is reportedly operating. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is simultaneously preparing to coordinate with Interpol for the issuance of a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against him.
Background: The Bhatti Network and UAPA Ban
The MHA recently designated the Shehzad Bhatti network as a banned terrorist organisation, broadening the scope of investigations to cover its activities in recruiting Indian youths for surveillance, smuggling, and targeted attacks. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has publicly cited the dangers the network poses to India's internal security and called for its elimination.
According to officials, Bhatti began as a social media influencer before being recruited by the ISI once the Pakistani spy agency identified his potential. He was reportedly instructed to name his outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH) — a deliberate branding exercise to suggest that the group was an Indian arm of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a move officials say was designed to implicate India and cast the Afghan Taliban in a negative light.
ISI's Reported Strategy: Dubai, Brazil, and Beyond
An Intelligence Bureau (IB) official said Bhatti has in recent times been operating from Dubai and Brazil. According to the official, the ISI initially stationed Bhatti in Dubai to ensure no trail led back to Islamabad. After Indian agencies exposed the network, Bhatti was reportedly instructed to shuttle between the two countries.
'The ISI wanted to cover his tracks and hence advised him against remaining in one location for long,' the official said.
With India possessing extradition treaties with both the UAE and Brazil, intelligence officials assess that Bhatti will most likely be moved to a safe house in Pakistan, where he would be shielded from the international legal action India is preparing to pursue. 'He is most likely to be sent back to Pakistan, where he could be protected from the legal action India is preparing to pursue at the international level,' the IB official said.
CBI's Path to an Interpol Red Corner Notice
The immediate priority for Indian agencies is completing the investigation and filing a charge sheet detailing the network's activities and Bhatti's alleged role. Once the charge sheet is filed, the CBI is expected to formally approach Interpol for the issuance of an RCN against Bhatti.
Officials noted that an RCN can also be sought during ongoing investigations, provided an arrest warrant exists and the case meets Interpol's severity thresholds. Indian agencies are said to be moving quickly, with officials stressing they do not intend to delay the process.
A Classic ISI Playbook, Officials Say
Indian security officials tracking Bhatti describe this as a pattern the ISI has followed repeatedly. They point to Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, chief of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), who operates out of the United States. Similar ISI-linked operatives have reportedly worked from Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
'When the heat on these operatives has gone up, they are pulled back to Pakistan or asked to shift to a country that India does not have an extradition treaty with,' an official said. This is consistent with Bhatti's expected relocation, according to the officials.
Threat to Indian Youth and Communal Harmony
Officials said Bhatti's network recruited scores of Indian youths, radicalising them and directing them to conduct surveillance and smuggling operations, as well as to disrupt communal harmony. Multiple investigating agencies are treating the complete dismantlement of the network as a priority, given what officials describe as its extensive reach and operational danger.
With the charge sheet expected soon and Interpol coordination underway, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether Indian agencies can secure Bhatti's extradition or are forced to pursue him through international legal channels if he finds refuge in Pakistan.
Point of View
Obscure the handler chain by operating from extradition-safe jurisdictions, and when exposure comes, pull the operative back to Pakistan. India's legal machinery — UAPA designation, CBI charge sheet, Interpol RCN — is necessary but inherently slow, and the ISI has historically exploited that lag. The more uncomfortable question is why Indian intelligence was unable to disrupt the network before it had 'recruited scores of youths': the answer matters for prevention, not just prosecution. Bhatti ending up in a Pakistani safe house, beyond extradition reach, would not be a failure of law — it would be a failure of timely action.
NationPress
17 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Shehzad Bhatti and why has India banned his network?
Shehzad Bhatti is the alleged head of a terror network that the MHA has designated a banned organisation under UAPA for recruiting Indian youths to conduct surveillance, smuggling, and targeted attacks. Intelligence officials say he was recruited by Pakistan's ISI and instructed to operate from Dubai and later Brazil to distance the Pakistani hand from his activities.
What is a Red Corner Notice and why is the CBI seeking one against Bhatti?
A Red Corner Notice (RCN) is an Interpol request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition. The CBI intends to seek an RCN against Bhatti once it files a charge sheet, and officials say the process may begin even during the investigation if an arrest warrant is in place and severity thresholds are met.
Why do Indian agencies believe Bhatti will be moved to Pakistan?
India holds extradition treaties with both the UAE and Brazil, the countries where Bhatti has been operating. Intelligence officials say the ISI typically relocates assets to Pakistan or treaty-free countries when exposure increases, and they assess Bhatti will follow the same pattern — beyond the reach of formal extradition proceedings.
What is Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH) and how does it relate to Pakistan's strategy?
TTH is the name Bhatti was reportedly instructed by the ISI to adopt in order to suggest it was an Indian arm of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), creating a false narrative linking India to the TTP. Officials say this branding was designed to serve Pakistani strategic interests by implicating India and casting the Afghan Taliban in a negative light.
What threat does the Bhatti network pose to India?
According to officials, the network recruited scores of Indian youths and radicalised them for surveillance operations, smuggling, targeted attacks, and disrupting communal harmony. Home Minister Amit Shah has called for the network's complete elimination, and multiple agencies are treating its dismantlement as a priority.
