The Delhi Police Special Cell has uncovered that Pakistan’s ISI-backed underworld module in India was attempting to channel funds through cryptocurrency networks, linking operatives to Dawood Ibrahim’s syndicate and foreign handlers.

Eight arrests have been made, and investigators are now scrutinising crypto hubs in Delhi and Maharashtra while tracing recruitment networks across multiple states.

The alleged network was exposed after a human intelligence tip-off, which revealed a wider conspiracy involving foreign handlers, local operatives, and criminal associates. Investigators believe the planning began nearly two months before the arrests, with the module attempting to expand its footprint by recruiting more agents within India. Mumbra in Maharashtra emerged as a critical hub for contacts and recruitment, tied to Dawood Ibrahim’s underworld networks.

A key figure in the probe is Lama Ang Kami, a 66-year-old Nepali national, who allegedly helped establish connections between handlers and operatives. His link to Karachi-based handler Munna Jugada was forged during their incarceration in a Bangkok prison, where they befriended each other. 

Munna Jugada, who had served time for an attack on Chota Shakeel, was reportedly tasked with proving his allegiance to ISI by planning attacks in India. This was Lama Ang Kami’s first visit to India, and investigators believe his role was pivotal in bridging foreign handlers with local operatives.

The Special Cell has identified suspected cryptocurrency-linked networks operating in Delhi’s Karol Bagh and other locations, which the accused allegedly planned to use for covert financing.

These channels were intended to move funds discreetly and evade detection, underscoring the growing reliance on digital assets by terror-linked modules. Authorities are now examining these networks to trace possible links to the case.

The arrests began with Uttar Pradesh resident Vijay alias Shooter, who was apprehended in Pune on 14 May. His aide Nitish was arrested in Sahibganj, Jharkhand, on 17 May. Vijay was allegedly in regular touch with members of the Shahzad Bhatti network operating from Pakistan and Dubai.

He was tasked with carrying out criminal and terror-related activities across Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, and was also responsible for recruiting young men for operations in Delhi-NCR.

Further interrogation widened the probe, leading to the arrest of Mumbai-based accused Taoqeer and Arbaaz on 27 May. Investigators allege that both were in touch with Yawar Khan and Munna Jhingada and had been recruited by a Mumbai-based operative named Huzaifa, who remains absconding. These arrests highlighted the deep penetration of the network into Mumbai’s underworld ecosystem.

The investigation then extended to Punjab, where Special Cell teams intercepted Harvinder Singh, Gagandeep Singh, and Manjeet Singh on Delhi’s Mehrauli-Badarpur Road in the early hours of 30 May. 

A large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered, further exposing the scale of the module’s operations. These developments point to a coordinated effort by ISI-backed handlers to destabilise India by targeting security establishments and crowded civilian areas.

The emerging picture suggests a network combining foreign handlers, local operatives, criminal contacts, and covert financing channels.

By exploiting cryptocurrency, the module sought to bypass traditional financial scrutiny and sustain its operations.

The arrests have dealt a significant blow to the ISI-backed underworld-terror nexus, but investigators continue to probe additional links, funding routes, and potential recruits across India.

Agencies