ATS grilling reveals Bilal Khan's links with 4,000 Pakistani numbers, regular contact with AQIS handlers in Pakistan

LUCKNOW: In a major revelation during the three-day intensive interrogation of terror suspect Bilal Khan (34) by the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), investigators uncovered that the accused was in touch with nearly 4,000 Pakistani phone numbers and maintained regular communication with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) handlers based in Pakistan. Bilal was allegedly receiving direct instructions to plan and execute AQIS-linked activities in India, ATS officials said.

Bilal, son of Sharifullah and a resident of Papri village under Titron police station in Saharanpur, was arrested on September 15, 2025, and was sent to jail. Recently, a special court granted the ATS nine days of police custody starting November 4, 2025, for further interrogation to unravel the network of AQIS sympathisers and operatives associated with Bilal, said ATS officials.

According to ATS officials, the probe till now has surfaced that Bilal was deeply influenced by Asim Umar Sambhali, the first chief of AQIS and a native of Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. “Asim Umar, who was handpicked by Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, is believed to have inspired Bilal through his jihadist sermons and online propaganda. Bilal reportedly propagated extremist content on social media, promoting Umar’s ideology and justifying violent jihad as a means to impose a Sharia-based regime in India,” ATS added.

The ATS probe found that Bilal used multiple social media platforms to interact with thousands of Pakistani nationals and became active in anti-India and pro-jihad online groups. He was allegedly attempting to recruit local youth and incite them against the constitutional framework of the country.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, Bilal is said to have glorified slain terrorists of Operation Sindoor as martyrs, circulated videos abusing Indian security forces, and shared propaganda material supporting the Pakistani army while calling for the “liberation of Kashmir.”

Investigators also revealed that Bilal pledged allegiance to his Pakistani AQIS handler, affirming his loyalty to the global jihadist mission. In one extremist group, he posted a quote attributed to Asim Umar, “If you walk on the path of jihad, Mujahideen from Morocco to the Philippines will stand with you, and wherever their sweat falls, people will shed blood,” the ATS claimed.

The ATS is currently probing Bilal’s local associates, communication channels, and the extent of his operational involvement in AQIS-linked activities. Officials believe that his arrest could help uncover a wider radicalisation and recruitment network active across western Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India.