Mohammad Hasan Abu Sarmad Akhtar, a 33‑year‑old Rapido driver from Mahim, was taken into custody by Maharashtra Anti‑Terrorism Squad on Friday after a tip‑off. The officers found him near the Mahim Metro Station, seized his Redmi Note 14 Pro and 39 screenshots of extremist content, and noted a pattern of messaging that crossed state borders.
Investigators say Akhtar used his delivery job as a cover while maintaining contacts with a Pakistani intelligence operation and a radical Telegram channel, IBN E Qasim. He posted audio from JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar about the Babri Masjid and shared calls for jihad under the banner "Ab jihad ka zamana agya hai."
The driver’s most provocative comment equated a potential attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the 1984 Indira Gandhi riots, saying "Kuch karana tha Indira Gandhi ki tarah PM Modi ko bhi bhai log," a remark that stoked fears of targeted violence. A neighbor, who had rented a flat from Akhtar for the past three years, said he had never suspected him of such deeds.
Akhtar is now booked under IPC Section 196(1) for inciting enmity between religious groups. The arrest follows a July raid by Gujarat ATS that detained five people linked to a Jaish‑e‑Mohammed terror module, underscoring a renewed focus on terror networks within Mumbai’s gig economy. A hearing is scheduled for next month to determine the next steps in the investigation.