Mumbai Police are investigating whether a man arrested in Mahim for alleged links with Jaish-e-Mohammed conducted reconnaissance of sensitive locations in and around the city and shared photographs and videos with a Pakistani police officer, according to a report by Navbharat Times – Mumbai.
Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar was arrested near Mahim Metro station on October 22 following information received by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad’s Kalachowkie unit, the report said. He was subsequently handed over to Mahim Police and produced before a special court, which sent him to four days of police custody.
Police have registered a case under Section 196(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Investigators are also considering whether provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act should be added, based on the evidence collected during the inquiry. The possible addition of UAPA sections has not been presented as a final legal determination.
According to the report, investigators recovered a mobile phone from Hasan and identified 39 posts or screenshots described as suspicious or inflammatory. The material has been sent to the Kalina forensic laboratory for examination. Police are examining the authenticity, origin and context of the digital content as part of the ongoing investigation.
The ATS and police are also examining Hasan’s alleged links with Pakistani Telegram channels. The report said he had shared an audio speech attributed to Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar in a Telegram group called ‘Indian Muslim’ on June 1, 2026, and was connected to a channel named ‘IBN-e-Qasim’, which investigators have described as being operated by a Pakistani organisation.
Investigators further allege that Hasan used to sell perfume during the day and work as a bike rider at night. In that role, he allegedly photographed and recorded sensitive sites in Mumbai and nearby areas before sending the material to a Pakistani police officer. The report said the police are checking whether the alleged recipient was connected to Pakistani intelligence operatives and whether the material had any operational purpose.
Police are also examining posts from Hasan’s Instagram and X accounts that allegedly supported jihad and encouraged young Muslims to take up arms. One post, linked by investigators to a report about an alleged security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai, is being examined separately because it allegedly referred to an attack similar to the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Hasan had reportedly lived alone in Mumbai for about 10 years and rented a flat on L.J. Road in Mahim. He is originally from Bhankardwari village in Bihar’s Kishanganj district. The investigation is also examining a WhatsApp group allegedly created by Hasan that included seven people from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. Police are trying to identify the other six members and establish the nature of their discussions and any involvement in the alleged activity.
The case places digital monitoring, protection of sensitive urban sites and inter-agency coordination at the centre of the Mumbai investigation. The forensic examination of the seized material and questioning of Hasan and other group members are the next stated steps in determining the scope of the alleged network.
