Bijnor police on Wednesday arrested two more accused in separate incidents linked to alleged anti-national activities, confirmed Amitabh Yash, UP Police additional director general (ADG), law and order.
The arrests were made in cases registered at Nangal and Kiratpur police stations, with investigators claiming the accused were part of social media-based networks allegedly used to incite violence, damage public infrastructure and recruit youths for unlawful activities.
In the first case, police arrested Sameer alias Roohan, a resident of Najibabad in Bijnor, in connection with the November 2025 viral Instagram video that had shown alleged display of weapons during a live session. The case invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Arms Act and the Information Technology Act.
According to the police, the video had first come to notice on November 23, 2025, when an Instagram live clip surfaced showing Aqib allegedly displaying weapons while interacting online with others. The video was reportedly posted on the profile of Maijul, a native of Bijnor, currently believed to be in South Africa.
Investigators said four men were identified in the video — Maijul, Aqib, Azad, currently believed to be in Saudi Arabia, and Owaid Malik of Bijnor. Police said look-out notices have already been issued against Maijul, Aqib and Azad, while Owaid Malik and Jalal Haider had earlier been arrested and sent to jail.
During interrogation, Sameer alias Roohan allegedly told police that he had gone to Aurangabad in Maharashtra in February 2025 in search of work, where he was employed as a barber at a salon. Police said Sameer disclosed that his cousin Jalal Haider had introduced him to Maijul through social media platforms, after which he became part of a WhatsApp group involving Maijul and Aqib.
According to the police, Sameer allegedly told interrogators that he was repeatedly encouraged by Maijul and Aqib to “work for his community” in return for money.
Officials claimed the accused was allegedly asked to participate in activities such as setting vehicles on fire, damaging railway tracks and helping build a network in India.
Police further alleged that Maijul had shown an AK-47 rifle and grenades during an Instagram live session and had spoken of recruiting youths, dividing them into teams and preparing them for future large-scale criminal and anti-national acts. Investigators also said photographs of weapons recovered from Sameer’s mobile phone were allegedly sent by Maijul, who had purportedly assured him that the arms would eventually be delivered.
In the second case, police arrested Raju Ram Godara, a resident of Jaisalmer district in Rajasthan, in connection with a Kiratpur police station case involving arson and anti-national conspiracy.
The case stems from a complaint filed on March 10, 2026, after an unidentified accused allegedly set a vehicle on fire by sprinkling petrol on March 4.
During the investigation, police had earlier arrested Abuzar, along with Zaid and Mannan, who were allegedly linked through a Telegram group. Police said Raju Ram was identified as the admin of the Telegram group used to coordinate unlawful activities.
During questioning, Raju allegedly told investigators that the mobile number through which the Telegram group operated belonged to him. Police said the number had been saved in co-accused Zaid’s phone under the name “Syed”.
Investigators further claimed that on the day Abuzar was arrested, Shakib Ahmad of Meerut, now under arrest in ATS Lucknow FIR No. 02/26, had contacted both Raju and Zaid, following which Raju changed his mobile handset. Officials said both recovered mobile phones are being subjected to forensic and digital examination.
Police alleged that the Telegram group was being used to coordinate anti-national activities, including targeting vehicles of a particular community and damaging railway tracks, and that several related videos had been recovered from the mobile phone of one of the co-accused.
Senior officers said the fresh arrests are expected to help investigators map the wider digital and interstate network behind the suspected sabotage and radicalisation conspiracy.
