Mumbai suspect arrested for gathering intelligence on Chabad House for foreign handlers

The suspect, Yash Singh, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai, was initially detained by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) after intelligence about suspicious social media contacts.

A 20-year-old man was arrested in Mumbai on suspicion of gathering intelligence on the city's Chabad House and other locations associated with Jews and foreign nationals, allegedly acting on instructions from handlers abroad in exchange for money, Indian news agency PTI reported on Saturday, citing an official.

The suspect, Yash Singh, a resident of Airoli in Navi Mumbai, was initially detained by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) after intelligence about social media contacts with individuals suspected of engaging in activities against national security.

He was subsequently arrested by a team from Kerala Police as part of an investigation underway in Thrissur district in southern India.

According to the report, Singh told investigators during questioning that handlers operating on social media, linked to criminal gangs and subversive elements, had instructed him to gather information on sensitive locations in south Mumbai, particularly in the Colaba area.

The assignments included photographing and identifying the precise locations of the Chabad House, Jewish-owned businesses, and places frequented by foreign nationals. According to the official cited in the report, Singh received payment for these activities.

Investigators allegedly discovered that Singh had been in direct contact with handlers through Telegram. They also uncovered links between Singh and another suspect who had already been arrested in a case being investigated by the Thrissur East police station under India's Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), legislation used, among other purposes, to prosecute terrorism-related offenses.

Following information provided by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, investigators from Thrissur traveled to Navi Mumbai and carried out the arrest.

Criminal networks outside India recruiting for intelligence gathering, officials say

The report also cited warnings from law enforcement officials about criminal networks operating outside India, including a Pakistan-based network they identified as "Shehzad Bhatti."

According to the officials, these networks use Telegram, Instagram, and WhatsApp to recruit unemployed young people or those facing financial hardship, offering them money in exchange for gathering intelligence and carrying out other activities.

However, the report did not clarify whether Singh himself had been recruited or directed by that particular network.

Mumbai's Chabad House, also known as Nariman House, was among the locations targeted in the November 2008 terrorist attacks in the city. The suspicion that intelligence was being gathered on the building therefore concerns a site that has already been the target of a terrorist attack against Jews.

Officials from India's Anti-Terrorism Squad urged parents and young people to remain vigilant about approaches from strangers online and to avoid providing photographs or information about sensitive locations in exchange for money.