Maharashtra ATS says the 33-year-old shared extremist content online and made violent remarks about the Prime Minister. He has been booked for promoting enmity between religious groups.
Mumbai: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a 33-year-old Rapido driver in Mumbai for alleged links with the banned terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). He is also accused of making objectionable remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in posts on social media.
Who Was Arrested
The accused has been identified as Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar, a resident of Mahim in Mumbai. The ATS found him near Mahim Metro Station after receiving a tip-off.
What the Investigators Say
According to the agency, Akhtar worked as a Rapido driver and perfume seller, but this was allegedly only a cover for spreading radical ideology. Investigators say he was in contact with a Pakistani intelligence operation.
He is also accused of promoting religious enmity. The ATS says he shared audio clips of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar about the Babri Masjid in a Telegram group called “Indian Muslim”. Investigators found that he had also subscribed to a radical Pakistani Telegram channel named “IBN E Qasim”.
Posts on X and Instagram
Officials say Akhtar repeatedly posted provocative comments on X and Instagram. Some of these allegedly called for jihad and incited violence, including a line saying that the time for jihad had come.
The most serious post was a recent comment on a discussion about a security breach in Mumbai ahead of PM Modi’s visit. Investigators say he wrote that something like what happened to Indira Gandhi should be done to the Prime Minister, a reference to her assassination.
Evidence and Charges
Officials have seized a Redmi Note 14 Pro mobile phone from Akhtar. They have also secured 39 screenshots of his objectionable social media activity to use as evidence.
He has been booked under Section 196(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the law that deals with promoting enmity between different religious groups.
Neighbour Shocked
Akhtar had been living in a rented flat in the area for about three to three and a half years. A neighbour told news agency IANS that he never expected something like this from him.
“I used to see him sitting outside and spoke to him,” the neighbour said. He added that Akhtar sold perfume in the area and worked somewhere else at night. “Never thought of him as a bad man,” he said. However, the neighbour also said that anyone who betrays the country must be punished.
Other Recent Cases
The arrest comes days after the attack on Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai. One of the accused in that shooting had also worked as a Rapido rider. Reports say he used his job as cover to carry out surveillance in upscale neighbourhoods where Bollywood celebrities live.
In July, the Gujarat ATS detained five people while investigating an alleged terror module linked to JeM.
What Happens Next
The investigation is still on. These are allegations made by the investigating agency, and Akhtar is presumed innocent until a court decides otherwise. The ATS is expected to examine his phone and online activity further, and to look into his alleged contacts.
