Pune Al-Qaeda case: How ATS probe into Zubair Hangargekar exposes new terror hubs in Afghanistan and Hong Kong

Maharashtra ATS has again taken custody of Zubair Hangargekar in an Al-Qaeda-linked terror probe after finding foreign Telegram IPs and extremist content. He’s accused of spreading jihadist ideology and contacting international suspects; the probe continues.

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The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad has once again taken custody of 37-year-old software engineer Zubair Hangargekar in a terror probe linked to the banned Al-Qaeda outfit. This is the second time Hangargekar has been taken into custody since his arrest in October, as investigators widen their probe into his alleged international terror links.

According to the ATS, fresh digital evidence has emerged from Hangargekar’s Telegram account, including suspicious IP addresses traced to Afghanistan and Hong Kong. Officials said the findings have raised serious concerns about cross-border ideological and technical support networks being used for radicalisation.

ATS flags foreign IP links on Telegram

In its remand application, the ATS said that investigators found 108 Telegram IDs associated with Hangargekar’s account. “So far, the ATS has obtained information about eight IDs, and four of them are from Afghanistan and Hong Kong, and it needs to be probed,” the agency said.

The ATS alleged that Hangargekar and his associates were using the ideology of terror organisations such as ISIS and Al Qaeda to push the idea of establishing a Khilafat state and implementing Sharia law in India. Officials said electronic devices seized from the accused contained extremist content and communication trails pointing to overseas handlers.

Why Afghanistan and Hong Kong matter

Top intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that Afghanistan has emerged as a major ideological and legitimacy hub for Al-Qaeda following the Taliban takeover in 2021. Sources said the terror outfit operates servers, content distributors, and cyber infrastructure from the region, giving credibility and authenticity to jihadist propaganda.

Hong Kong, on the other hand, has been identified as a technical transit and masking zone. Intelligence sources told CNN-News18 that the city’s dense data traffic, global cloud infrastructure, VPN endpoints, and hosting services make it ideal for routing extremist communications and hiding digital footprints.

Sources said Hong Kong allows terror networks to operate without physical presence while complicating attribution. “Afghanistan and the East Asia digital corridor are increasingly used to combine ideological authority with cyber anonymity,” intelligence officials told CNN News18.

This setup, sources added, helps terror handlers and radicalisation amplifiers operate across jurisdictions while staying beyond the easy reach of Indian agencies.

Pakistani contact, multiple foreign numbers found

Investigators said that after Hangargekar’s arrest on October 27, they recovered an old phone that contained a Pakistani contact number. Further analysis of the phone’s contact list revealed five international numbers, including one from Pakistan, two from Saudi Arabia, and one each from Kuwait and Oman.

The ATS has accused Hangargekar of possessing banned extremist literature, attempting to radicalise youth, and maintaining contact with suspected members of the Al Qaeda network. Officials said the recovered material points to a deliberate effort to spread jihadist ideology through online platforms.

Hangargekar has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and was produced before a special court. Investigators said the probe is ongoing, and more arrests or disclosures cannot be ruled out as digital trails are analysed further.