Bengal STF Arrests Hamid Mondal, Alleged ISI Linkman in Sajjad Bhatti Gang; Probe Points to Plot Targeting CM Suvendu Adhikari

The West Bengal Special Task Force (STF) has arrested an alleged linkman of a Pakistan-based network while investigating a suspected conspiracy to kill Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The accused, identified as Hamid Mondal, was arrested from a large residential housing complex near the Burdwan Highway in Purba Bardhaman during a joint operation carried out by the STF and the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Burdwan Police.

According to police sources, Mondal had chosen the housing complex as a hideout to avoid detection by law enforcement agencies. Investigators claim he is linked to Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti, who is alleged to have connections with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Officials are now examining Mondal’s alleged role in the suspected plot targeting Adhikari and are trying to establish the extent of his activities in India.

Police sources said Mondal had gathered details related to the Chief Minister’s visit and had been closely monitoring the Chief Minister’s programme schedule since the 9th. Investigators are analysing the information recovered during the operation and questioning the accused to understand the purpose of collecting these details and whether others were involved.

Officials have also described Mondal as a Kashmir-based operative. The investigation is now focused on tracing his contacts and identifying any other people who may have been connected to the alleged network.

According to Indian security agencies, Shahzad Bhatti is the central figure behind the network with which Mondal was allegedly associated. Bhatti, who is originally from Pakistan’s Punjab province, is known on social media as a businessman, social worker and commentator on religious issues. However, agencies allege that his activities extend far beyond his online image.

According to Pakistani police records cited by agencies, multiple criminal cases, including theft and robbery, were registered against Bhatti in 2013. He was later also accused in a rape case. Around 2015, he reportedly left Pakistan and moved to Dubai, where he started dairy businesses. During his stay there, he allegedly came into contact with the Farooq Khokhar gang from Balochistan and eventually became one of its key members.

Agencies claim Bhatti later expanded his presence on social media under the name “333”, posting content on India-Pakistan relations, religious issues and disputes involving influencers. While he built a large online following, investigators believe the popularity also helped him develop a wider network.

Indian agencies allege that Bhatti does not operate alone and is supported by handlers, including Abid Jatt, Ajmal Gujjar and Yawar Khan. They further claim the network uses social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to identify vulnerable young people in India. After making initial contact through private messages, the recruits are allegedly connected to Bhatti through video calls.

According to investigators, these individuals are allegedly lured with promises of money, social media fame and opportunities to settle abroad. They are first assigned simple tasks, such as sharing photographs or videos of specific locations. Agencies claim these assignments gradually become more serious as recruits are drawn deeper into the network.

The STF continues to question Hamid Mondal as part of its investigation. Officials are working to determine the full extent of his alleged role, identify his contacts and verify whether the suspected conspiracy had wider links. The investigation remains underway.

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