Maharashtra ATS arrests JeM suspect in Mumbai's Mahim, seizes radical content
Synopsis
A Rapido rider and perfume seller in Mumbai's Mahim was allegedly running a JeM-linked Telegram group, uploading Masood Azhar speeches and spreading radical content — until the Maharashtra ATS moved in on 24 October. The arrest, following a July Gujarat JeM crackdown, signals a pattern of encrypted-platform radicalisation that security agencies are racing to disrupt.
Key Takeaways
Maharashtra ATS arrested Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar , 33 , near Mahim Metro station , Mumbai, on 24 October 2026 .
The accused allegedly ran a Telegram group where he uploaded audio speeches by JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar , including content on the Babri Masjid issue, from as recently as 1 June .
He reportedly used his work as a Rapido rider and perfume seller as cover for alleged radical activity.
Investigators recovered allegedly incriminating material from his mobile phone ; he was also allegedly a member of the Pakistan-backed 'IBN-e-Qasim' Telegram channel.
The arrest follows a Gujarat ATS crackdown in July that netted five JeM-linked suspects from Patan district , part of a probe into eight earlier JeM arrests .
The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on 24 October 2026 arrested a 33-year-old man allegedly linked to the banned terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) from Mahim in Mumbai, officials confirmed. The accused, identified as Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar, was picked up by the Kalachowki unit of the ATS near Mahim Metro station following a tip-off.
How the Accused Operated
According to the investigating agency, Akhtar used his dual occupation as a Rapido bike-taxi rider and perfume seller as cover while reportedly propagating radical ideology. Investigators allege he was actively working to spread communal hatred and anti-national sentiments across multiple social media platforms.
Investigators recovered material allegedly linked to extremist activity from his mobile phone. The ATS claimed Akhtar administered a Telegram group through which he allegedly uploaded inflammatory audio speeches by JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar — including content on the Babri Masjid issue — as recently as 1 June. He was also said to be an active member of a Pakistan-backed extremist Telegram channel called 'IBN-e-Qasim'.
Broader Pattern of JeM Arrests
The Mumbai arrest follows a series of JeM-linked detentions elsewhere in India. In July, the Gujarat ATS detained five individuals during an investigation into an alleged JeM terror module. Those accused — Bilal Abidbhai Shera, Mohammad Ayub Kadiwala, Mohammad Palanpuri alias Khali Ayub Sunsara, Shafia Rais Mukhti, and Mohammad Hasan Kardia — were apprehended from Khadiyal village in Siddhpur taluka of Gujarat's Patan district.
Officials said those five suspects were identified during an ongoing probe into eight alleged JeM operatives arrested earlier that same month. The five were produced before Judicial Magistrate R.M. Bhatia in Kadi town, Mehsana district, who remanded them to ATS custody until 24 July.
What Prosecutors Revealed in Court
In the Gujarat case, Public Prosecutor P.R. Dantani told the court that custodial interrogation was necessary to unravel the accused's alleged activities. He claimed that one of the five had reportedly attempted to construct a time bomb, and that investigators had yet to recover bomb-making materials and Urdu literature linked to JeM.
Dantani said the ATS was seeking to establish the source of alleged bomb-making materials, where they had been concealed, and how the accused had obtained jihadi literature associated with the banned outfit.
What This Signals
The back-to-back arrests across Maharashtra and Gujarat point to what security agencies describe as a renewed effort by JeM to recruit and radicalise individuals using encrypted messaging platforms. This is not the first time operatives have used ordinary occupations as cover — a tactic that complicates early detection. The Maharashtra ATS investigation is ongoing, and further arrests cannot be ruled out.
Point of View
A small trader — used to conduct extremist outreach over encrypted channels. Security agencies have repeatedly flagged Telegram as a radicalisaton vector, yet platform-level cooperation with Indian law enforcement remains limited. The Gujarat and Maharashtra arrests, taken together, suggest JeM's footprint in western India is wider than single-case coverage implies. The deeper question is whether India's counter-terror architecture is moving fast enough to disrupt these networks before recruitment converts to operational activity.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was arrested by the Maharashtra ATS in Mumbai's Mahim?
The arrested individual is Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar , a 33-year-old man alleged to have links with the banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). He was apprehended near Mahim Metro station in Mumbai by the ATS Kalachowki unit on 24 October 2026.
What was Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar allegedly doing?
According to the ATS, he allegedly operated a Telegram group where he uploaded inflammatory audio speeches by JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar and was a member of the Pakistan-backed 'IBN-e-Qasim' Telegram channel. He reportedly used his work as a Rapido rider and perfume seller as cover while spreading radical ideology.
How does this arrest connect to earlier JeM cases in India?
In July 2026, the Gujarat ATS detained five individuals linked to an alleged JeM module from Patan district, as part of a probe into eight earlier JeM arrests that month. The Maharashtra arrest adds to a pattern of JeM-linked network activity being detected across western India.
What did Gujarat prosecutors reveal about the earlier JeM suspects?
Public Prosecutor P.R. Dantani told the court in Kadi, Mehsana district, that one of the five Gujarat accused had allegedly attempted to build a time bomb and that bomb-making materials and Urdu jihadi literature were yet to be recovered. The five were remanded to ATS custody until 24 July.
Is the Maharashtra ATS investigation still ongoing?
Yes, the investigation is ongoing. Authorities have recovered material from the accused's mobile phone and are expected to probe potential links to wider JeM networks. Further arrests have not been ruled out by officials.
