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In a major development in the Pakistani spy network case, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested Mohammad Tufail, a resident of Varanasi, who is believed to have been in close contact with individuals in Pakistan and involved in spreading extremist propaganda among Muslim youth.

Tufail was picked up by ATS officials on Thursday, and investigators say his arrest could lead to more significant revelations in the coming days.

Over 800 Phone Numbers Now Under Watch

According to ATS sources, more than 800 mobile numbers from eastern Uttar Pradesh (Purvanchal) linked to WhatsApp groups run by Tufail are now on the radar. These numbers belong to people in districts like Mau, Azamgarh, and areas within Varanasi such as Jaitpura, Adampur, Lohta, Bajardiha, Madanpura, Benia, and Hardha.

The ATS believes Tufail emotionally influenced young Muslims, especially the educated ones, by posting provocative religious content. His messages included videos of radical preacher Maulana Saad Rizvi and statements portraying the Babri Masjid demolition as a disgrace to Islam.

Pushing a Radical Agenda

Investigators say Tufail didn’t stop at just sharing videos. He openly promoted the idea that Sharia law should become the foundation of governance in both Pakistan and India. Through WhatsApp messages, he repeatedly urged that India needed “Islamic scholars like Maulana Saad Rizvi” to guide Muslim youth and shape their political direction.

Tufail reportedly formed 19 new WhatsApp groups after visiting Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh and Sirhind in Punjab, where he held secret meetings and religious gatherings with local youth. ATS is now trying to trace the exact locations he traveled to across the country and determine whether he was recruiting young people or spreading radical messages.

Pakistani Connection Via Facebook

One of the most disturbing findings from the investigation is Tufail’s reported contact with a woman named Nafisa, a resident of Faisalabad, Pakistan. Sources say he was added to multiple WhatsApp groups managed from Pakistan, where he was instructed to connect with Nafisa on Facebook.

Their relationship grew online, and Tufail started sending her photographs of sensitive or important locations in India. He also kept in touch with her through regular chats and even sent her gifts—once through Nepal and another time via Punjab.

The ATS is now digging deeper into the nature of these gifts and what messages or materials may have been sent along with them.

Possible Recruitment Drive

Investigators suspect that Tufail may have been a key link in a larger strategy to emotionally influence and possibly recruit Muslim youth under the guise of religious preaching. His social media activity suggests a well-thought-out plan to gain trust, provoke sentiment, and push an anti-establishment narrative.

A senior ATS officer hinted that the investigation is still in its early stages and more arrests could follow. “We are scanning chat histories, phone records, and social media content from all 19 WhatsApp groups. We’re taking this case very seriously,” the official said.

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