Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has launched a large-scale investigation across multiple districts, questioning 57 youths in connection with an alleged Pakistan-linked network that is suspected of using Instagram reels, online gaming platforms and encrypted apps for radicalisation and organised crime recruitment.

Officials said coordinated raids were conducted at over 40 locations across nine districts, including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Akola, Nanded, Jalgaon, Mira Road and Nalasopara, as part of an expanding probe into cross-border digital influence networks.

The case has raised fresh concerns about how social media and gaming ecosystems are being allegedly exploited to target vulnerable youths.

Massive statewide raids and questioning drive

According to investigators, multiple ATS teams carried out simultaneous searches at suspected locations, including more than 10 premises in Mumbai alone and nearly 19 sites across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

During the operation, authorities questioned 57 young individuals believed to be in contact with suspected handlers through digital platforms. Officials clarified that no arrests have been made so far, but all individuals are under surveillance as the probe continues.

The raids are part of a broader effort to track digital communication patterns that may be linked to organised crime recruitment and radicalisation attempts.

Investigators have seized mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices, which are now undergoing forensic analysis.

Social media and gaming platforms under scrutiny

Preliminary findings suggest that Pakistan-based gangster Shahzad Bhatti may have used Instagram, encrypted messaging apps and online gaming communities to establish contact with individuals in Maharashtra.

Officials believe that such platforms were allegedly used to project glamourised narratives involving gangster lifestyles, luxury living and promises of quick financial gains.

Investigators are now analysing chat logs, gaming interactions, cloud backups, digital payment trails and encrypted communications to determine the extent of the network’s reach.

Authorities suspect that these interactions may not have been isolated but part of a structured effort to influence and recruit individuals into unlawful activities.

Cross-border links and financial trails under probe

The ATS is also examining suspected financial transactions that may have links to associates of Bhatti or related networks operating outside India.

Sources said investigators are tracking bank accounts and money flows to determine whether local criminal groups in Maharashtra were being indirectly supported or coordinated through cross-border channels.

Bhatti has previously appeared in investigations linked to organised crime and terror-related cases, including references in incidents such as the 2025 Punjab police station grenade attack and the Baba Siddique murder conspiracy probe.

Officials are now trying to establish whether the current digital network has wider national or international linkages.

Youth involvement raises digital safety concerns

The case has highlighted growing concerns over how easily young users can be influenced through social media content and online gaming environments.

Experts note that platforms such as Instagram and multiplayer gaming communities often allow anonymous or semi-anonymous interactions, which can be misused for recruitment or psychological influence.

Authorities are also assessing whether the youths questioned were knowingly involved or unknowingly drawn into conversations that later escalated into suspicious networks.

Investigation continues under ATS surveillance

While no formal charges have been filed yet, the ATS has confirmed that all 57 individuals questioned remain under close observation as digital evidence is being analysed.

Officials say further action will depend on forensic results and verification of communication data recovered from seized devices.

The investigation is ongoing and is expected to expand as more technical analysis is completed.

For now, the case remains one of the most extensive digital surveillance-linked probes in Maharashtra, with authorities focusing on preventing online radicalisation and organised crime recruitment through modern digital platforms.