NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out coordinated searches at 18 locations across Punjab and Haryana as part of its investigation into three terror-gangster cases linked to Pakistan-based terrorist Shahzad Bhatti. The operation covered multiple districts in both states and aimed to uncover the wider network associated with cross-border terror activities.
According to the agency, NIA teams searched several premises and questioned multiple individuals during the operation. Investigators also seized digital devices, documents, and other materials believed to be relevant to the ongoing probe. The agency is examining information related to communication networks, financial transactions, and the activities of individuals suspected of having links to the terror conspiracy.
Officials said the evidence collected during the searches has been sent for forensic and technical examination. The agency hopes the analysis will help establish the broader network operating across borders and identify additional individuals involved in the cases.
As part of the investigation, notices have been issued to certain persons directing them to join the probe for further questioning. The NIA stated that the searches were focused on identifying associates of Shahzad Bhatti and others allegedly connected to the terror-related conspiracies being investigated.
The agency’s investigation has already linked Bhatti to several violent incidents. One of the cases under scrutiny relates to a grenade attack that took place in March 2025 at the residence of social media influencer Roger Sandhu in Jalandhar, Punjab. Following its investigation, the NIA filed a chargesheet against Bhatti in April 2026, naming him as an absconding accused in the case.
Investigators have also connected Bhatti to the explosion at the Women Police Station in Sirsa, Haryana, which occurred in November 2025. In that case, the agency filed charges against nine individuals in May 2026. Among those named were Bhatti and another Pakistan-based handler, Sohail Ahmad alias Sohail Baloch.
Another case being investigated concerns the January 2026 blast at the Baldev Nagar Police Station in Ambala, Haryana. The incident involved a car bomb explosion, and according to investigators, one of the arrested accused had maintained contact with Bhatti. The agency is examining whether the attack was part of a larger coordinated conspiracy involving operatives based outside India.
The NIA believes these incidents may be interconnected through a network that combines organised crime and terrorism. Officials suspect that handlers operating from Pakistan have been using local contacts and criminal elements to carry out attacks and destabilising activities within India.
The latest raids are part of the agency’s continuing efforts to trace every link in the alleged terror network. Investigators are examining digital evidence and financial trails to identify additional suspects and determine the extent of the cross-border connections.
Security agencies have intensified their focus on terror-gangster syndicates in recent years, particularly those believed to be receiving support from across the border. The NIA has reiterated that investigations into all three cases remain active and that further action will be taken based on evidence gathered during the searches.
Officials said the probe is progressing on multiple fronts and that the agency remains committed to dismantling the network behind the attacks and bringing all those involved to justice.
