Maharashtra’s Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative in Mumbai. The suspect, Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar, was picked up near Mahim Metro station. The arrest was reported on October 24, 2026.

Officials say the man worked as a bike driver for a cab booking service. Intelligence agencies flagged him for spreading terror content online and carrying out activities meant to provoke communal tensions. That input set the investigation in motion.

ATS officers acted on the intelligence and arrested him near Mahim Metro station in the city. Preliminary findings, according to officials, point to links with handlers of the banned terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. Investigators also say he had direct ties with Pakistani intelligence operatives.

Telegram groups and propaganda

Investigators say the suspect ran several groups on Telegram. Through them, he shared speeches by JeM chief Masood Azhar with others. The content reached audiences that officials are now trying to map.

Investigators say the suspect ran Telegram groups and shared speeches by JeM chief Masood Azhar with others.

The probe also found that he had posted a report on a security lapse that occurred during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Mumbai. Officials say he shared that material on several apps. The report points to a security gap during a high-profile visit to one of the country’s most watched cities.

Anti-national content on his phone

Officials say the suspect’s mobile phone contained anti-national material. That discovery deepened concern among investigators about how far his online activity reached. Agencies are now working to identify people connected to him.

The case lands at a sensitive moment for India’s financial and commercial capital. Any suspected militant activity in Mumbai draws immediate attention from security agencies across the country. A terror-linked arrest in the city tends to trigger nationwide alerts and sharp public scrutiny.

What happens next

ATS officers are pursuing the network around the suspect. Authorities have not publicly named any other arrests in the reporting available so far. Investigators will be watching his devices, accounts and contacts closely as the case moves forward.

The arrest puts a spotlight on online radicalisation and the role of messaging platforms in spreading banned group content. It also raises questions about how a man allegedly tied to a proscribed outfit and foreign intelligence contacts operated in plain sight in a major metro. Those questions will shape the next phase of the probe.

For now, the facts are clear. A suspected JeM associate is in custody, investigators have linked him to handlers and foreign operatives, and officials are hunting for those who worked with him. Each new detail could widen the case.