Mohammad Zafar was allegedly collecting donations in the name of a madrasa and attempting to transfer money to Pakistan
The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a 24-year-old Bihar resident in Meerut for his alleged links with Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and suspected attempts to send funds to Pakistan, officials said on Monday.
The accused has been identified as Mohammad Zafar, a resident of Purnia district in Bihar who had previously lived in Meerut and studied at a madrasa there. According to the ATS, intelligence inputs suggested that Zafar was collecting donations in the name of a madrasa and attempting to transfer the money to a Pakistan-based organisation for activities linked to jihad in India.
The agency said its investigation into Zafar’s digital activity allegedly revealed contact with Pakistani jihadist WhatsApp groups, along with conversations concerning jihad and the collection of funds.
Alleged JeM radicalisation trail
According to the ATS, Zafar came under the influence of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar after reading material about the terror outfit and jihad during his madrasa studies.
Investigators allege that Zafar shared speeches and other material attributed to Azhar on social media, with the purported aim of encouraging people towards violent jihad. The ATS also claimed that he used his Facebook account to post content related to jihad and the concept of a caliphate, at times with his face covered.
The agency said material recovered from his phone indicated that he had joined a JeM-linked jihadist group and subsequently came into contact with a Pakistani handler.
Crypto route under scanner
The alleged funding trail has emerged as a key part of the investigation.
The ATS said Zafar offered to assist the Pakistani handler and was initially provided details of a Pakistani bank account for transferring money. That transaction reportedly failed.
He allegedly then sought a Binance account from the handler and subsequently came into contact with other Pakistani suspects. According to investigators, he used the cryptocurrency USDT (Tether) to attempt or make several fund transfers.
The agency is now examining his financial transactions, digital communications and contacts to determine the extent of the alleged network and whether other people were involved.
Case registered under UAPA
The UP ATS has registered Case No. 13/2026 against Zafar under Sections 152 and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 18 and 38 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Investigators are analysing his mobile phone, social-media accounts and communications with suspected Pakistani operatives as part of the probe. The agency is also tracing the source and destination of the funds allegedly collected and transferred through cryptocurrency.
The arrest comes amid heightened scrutiny of terror financing and Pakistan-linked networks, with agencies increasingly examining digital platforms and cryptocurrency channels allegedly being used to move funds across borders.
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