August 19, 2026

Security agencies busted the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) active in the country. NEW DELHI: During a major crackdown on terror ahead of Independence Day, security agencies busted the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) active in the country, arresting 253 operatives in over 80 FIRs registered across 14 states, and pre-empting the network’s plans to carry out subversive attacks around Aug 15.”Indian security forces ripped apart the network by launching coordinated operations across different locations in 14 states, upholding (a) brilliant example of India’s zero-tolerance towards terrorism,” home minister Amit Shah posted on X Monday.Shah said substantial recoveries were made from operatives of the ISI-funded group, including IEDs, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras used for espionage. “The network was involved in several terrorist activities,” he shared.Pakistan-based gangster-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, who is popular on social media, runs a network that scouts “vulnerable” Indian Muslim youth online. His network targets and radicalises young people from low-income groups, who are ‘disgruntled’ or consume illicit drugs, and thereafter, allots them tasks like espionage, reconnaissance of potential targets, collection and transportation of arms sent via drones from Pakistan and carrying out attacks using firearms and grenades.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesTo counter SBN-linked disruptions planned around Independence Day, a coordinated multi-state operation was carried out Aug 12 using a real-time intelligence-sharing system with state police forces. Of the 253 detentions made across 14 states, 62 were in Uttar Pradesh; 52 in Haryana; 51 in Delhi; 44 in Punjab; 15 in Rajasthan; eight in Maharashtra; five in Uttarakhand; three each in Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar; and two each in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Kerala – with fresh FIRs registered in Delhi and Karnataka.Cumulatively, over 80 FIRs and 200-plus arrests have been recorded against SBN under UAPA, BNS, Arms Act, NDPS Act and Explosive Substances Act.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi‘Process Vitiated…’: Bangladesh Links Tarique Rahman’s India Visit To Sheikh Hasina Extradition123PhotostoriesPriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and moreChef Sanjeev Kapoor shares 9 basics of baking for every new and casual bakerDeepika Padukone makes maternity fashion look too easy in an oversized blue shirt and baggy jeans6 Korean dining etiquette rules that may surprise IndiansOptical illusion personality test: What you see first reveals if you’re a deep thinker or a natural problem-solver123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir

Vamsikrishna02 mins mins
Security agencies busted the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) active in the country. NEW DELHI: During a major crackdown on terror ahead of Independence Day, security agencies busted the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) active in the country, arresting 253 operatives in over 80 FIRs registered across 14 states, and pre-empting the network’s plans to carry out subversive attacks around Aug 15.”Indian security forces ripped apart the network by launching coordinated operations across different locations in 14 states, upholding (a) brilliant example of India’s zero-tolerance towards terrorism,” home minister Amit Shah posted on X Monday.Shah said substantial recoveries were made from operatives of the ISI-funded group, including IEDs, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras used for espionage. “The network was involved in several terrorist activities,” he shared.Pakistan-based gangster-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, who is popular on social media, runs a network that scouts “vulnerable” Indian Muslim youth online. His network targets and radicalises young people from low-income groups, who are ‘disgruntled’ or consume illicit drugs, and thereafter, allots them tasks like espionage, reconnaissance of potential targets, collection and transportation of arms sent via drones from Pakistan and carrying out attacks using firearms and grenades.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesTo counter SBN-linked disruptions planned around Independence Day, a coordinated multi-state operation was carried out Aug 12 using a real-time intelligence-sharing system with state police forces. Of the 253 detentions made across 14 states, 62 were in Uttar Pradesh; 52 in Haryana; 51 in Delhi; 44 in Punjab; 15 in Rajasthan; eight in Maharashtra; five in Uttarakhand; three each in Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar; and two each in Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Kerala – with fresh FIRs registered in Delhi and Karnataka.Cumulatively, over 80 FIRs and 200-plus arrests have been recorded against SBN under UAPA, BNS, Arms Act, NDPS Act and Explosive Substances Act.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In TearsAsish Banerjee Death Mystery: Threat, Blackmail Angle Probed As Note And Phones Face ScrutinyBJP’s Big Shake-Up: Ram Madhav Returns, Smriti Irani Gets Key Role In Nitin Nabin’s New Team‘Will Rise For Vande Mataram, But Won’t Sing’: Congress MP Imran Masood Amid Sonia Gandhi Row‘Personally Meet Students’: Rahul Gandhi Writes To CM Hemant Soren Over Jharkhand Protests7 Charred To Death, Several Injured In Fire At Hotel Near Tarapith Temple In Bengal’s Birbhum‘Electric Pole Fell’: 7 Women Dead, Many Injured In Stampede At Temple In Bihar’s Lakhisarai‘Only These…’: Rijiju Shares 3 Categories Of ‘Dimagi Naxals’ After Oppn’s Attack On PM Modi‘Process Vitiated…’: Bangladesh Links Tarique Rahman’s India Visit To Sheikh Hasina Extradition123PhotostoriesPriyanka Chopra’s maroon backless gown just gave desi Disney princess energy with a trail that refused to behave10 powerful baby boy and girl names from different cultures that mean strengthOptical Illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your secret personality traitH1N1 or seasonal flu? Symptoms often overlap, but doctors look for these clues before deciding9 ways to add more protein to your rotiOTT releases this week (August 17-August 23): ‘Welcome to the Jungle’, ‘Jana Nayagan’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Toy Story 5’, ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Season 3 and moreChef Sanjeev Kapoor shares 9 basics of baking for every new and casual bakerDeepika Padukone makes maternity fashion look too easy in an oversized blue shirt and baggy jeans6 Korean dining etiquette rules that may surprise IndiansOptical illusion personality test: What you see first reveals if you’re a deep thinker or a natural problem-solver123Hot PicksKarnataka PG Dental admissionBank holidays this weekRBI new rulesBJP new teamJharkhand ProtestUS green cardSmriti IraniSupreme Court HolidayUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingK AnnamalaiBengal Hotel FireNoida Biker AccidentTamil Nadu Double MurderAbhijeet DipkeHyderabad MurderMuzaffarnagar Kanwariya MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir


I-Day terror plot foiled: ISI-backed ring busted, 253 operatives held across 14 states
Security agencies busted the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) active in the country.

NEW DELHI: During a major crackdown on terror ahead of Independence Day, security agencies busted the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) active in the country, arresting 253 operatives in over 80 FIRs registered across 14 states, and pre-empting the network’s plans to carry out subversive attacks around Aug 15.“Indian security forces ripped apart the network by launching coordinated operations across different locations in 14 states, upholding (a) brilliant example of India’s zero-tolerance towards terrorism,” home minister Amit Shah posted on X Monday.Shah said substantial recoveries were made from operatives of the ISI-funded group, including IEDs, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras used for espionage. “The network was involved in several terrorist activities,” he shared.Pakistan-based gangster-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, who is popular on social media, runs a network that scouts “vulnerable” Indian Muslim youth online. His network targets and radicalises young people from low-income groups, who are ‘disgruntled’ or consume illicit drugs, and thereafter, allots them tasks like espionage, reconnaissance of potential targets, collection and transportation of arms sent via drones from Pakistan and carrying out attacks using firearms and grenades.

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NEW DELHI: Nearly two years after Satyendar Jain, former minister in erstwhile AAP govt, was released on bail from Tihar Jail in an alleged ED money laundering case filed, Delhi govt’s Anti-Corruption Branch Tuesday arrested him, along with Delhi Jal Board ex-CEO Udit Prakash Rai and four others in an alleged DJB scam.Jain had spent nearly one-and-a-half years in incarceration after being arrested in the money laundering case on May 31, 2022. He was granted bail on Oct 18, 2024.According to joint commissioner of police Vikramjit Singh, the case stems from a formal complaint filed by the directorate of vigilance which alleges widespread irregularities, manipulation of tender criteria and illicit collusion in the tendering process for the augmentation and upgradation of DJB’s sewage treatment plants. Tendering criteria tailored to stifle competition: ACBThe other four individuals taken into custody are former DJB contractual consultant Ankit Srivastava, AN Enterprises proprietor Nagendra Yadav, Euroteck Environment owner Raja Kumar Kurra and Srijanhar proprietor Pankaj Verma.ACB investigations claimed to have revealed that the tendering criteria were heavily tailored to mandate restrictive technical specifications that favored Euroteck Environment, “thereby stifling fair competition”.“Essential effluent parameters were omitted, a mandatory pilot study was bypassed and sudden technical specification changes were inserted to deliver significant, unfair financial benefits to the private entity at a steep cost to the public exchequer,” ACB alleged.Electronic evidence seized during the probe uncovered active communications between the private operators and govt officials, showing that draft corrigenda and restrictive terms were routinely shared before being officially integrated into DJB tender notices, it added.Financial tracing uncovered a complex money-trail designed to disguise kickbacks as commercial transactions through intermediary entities, specifically Srijanhar and AN Enterprises, the agency alleged.ACB claimed to have established that Udit Prakash Rai, as then DJB CEO, received bribes of Rs 1.5 crore through banking channels via Nagendra Yadav’s firm, AN Enterprises, with the initial funds originating from Euroteck. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThese illicit proceeds were subsequently routed into accounts belonging to Rai and his relatives, where they were utilised to purchase immovable property, it alleged.ACB officials said further investigation into the broader nexus and money trail was on. ED had earlier shared its probe report with the vigilance directorate. It claimed to have found irregularities in the award of tenders for upgradation and augmentation of at least 10 STPs for more than Rs 1,900 crore.Get the latest India News and Live updates. 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NEW DELHI: Nearly two years after Satyendar Jain, former minister in erstwhile AAP govt, was released on bail from Tihar Jail in an alleged ED money laundering case filed, Delhi govt’s Anti-Corruption Branch Tuesday arrested him, along with Delhi Jal Board ex-CEO Udit Prakash Rai and four others in an alleged DJB scam.Jain had spent nearly one-and-a-half years in incarceration after being arrested in the money laundering case on May 31, 2022. He was granted bail on Oct 18, 2024.According to joint commissioner of police Vikramjit Singh, the case stems from a formal complaint filed by the directorate of vigilance which alleges widespread irregularities, manipulation of tender criteria and illicit collusion in the tendering process for the augmentation and upgradation of DJB’s sewage treatment plants. Tendering criteria tailored to stifle competition: ACBThe other four individuals taken into custody are former DJB contractual consultant Ankit Srivastava, AN Enterprises proprietor Nagendra Yadav, Euroteck Environment owner Raja Kumar Kurra and Srijanhar proprietor Pankaj Verma.ACB investigations claimed to have revealed that the tendering criteria were heavily tailored to mandate restrictive technical specifications that favored Euroteck Environment, “thereby stifling fair competition”.“Essential effluent parameters were omitted, a mandatory pilot study was bypassed and sudden technical specification changes were inserted to deliver significant, unfair financial benefits to the private entity at a steep cost to the public exchequer,” ACB alleged.Electronic evidence seized during the probe uncovered active communications between the private operators and govt officials, showing that draft corrigenda and restrictive terms were routinely shared before being officially integrated into DJB tender notices, it added.Financial tracing uncovered a complex money-trail designed to disguise kickbacks as commercial transactions through intermediary entities, specifically Srijanhar and AN Enterprises, the agency alleged.ACB claimed to have established that Udit Prakash Rai, as then DJB CEO, received bribes of Rs 1.5 crore through banking channels via Nagendra Yadav’s firm, AN Enterprises, with the initial funds originating from Euroteck. Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesThese illicit proceeds were subsequently routed into accounts belonging to Rai and his relatives, where they were utilised to purchase immovable property, it alleged.ACB officials said further investigation into the broader nexus and money trail was on. ED had earlier shared its probe report with the vigilance directorate. It claimed to have found irregularities in the award of tenders for upgradation and augmentation of at least 10 STPs for more than Rs 1,900 crore.Get the latest India News and Live updates. 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Just 2mg of fentanyl — an amount that can fit on a pencil tip — is enough to kill an adult. In Dec 2025, the latest month for which full data is available, over 70,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in US, with authorities saying that “approximately 69% of all overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids, overwhelmingly illicitly made fentanyl and its analogues” It takes only two milligrams of fentanyl, an amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil, to kill an adult, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Fifty times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, fentanyl has become the leading cause of accidental death among Americans aged 18 to 44. The scale of the crisis is reflected in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s July release, which noted that “approximately 69% of all overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids, overwhelmingly illicitly made fentanyl and its analogues”.As US cracks down on illicit fentanyl use, the ripples have reached the distant shores of India’s western coast. Enforcement action has extended to entities linked to the chemicals and pharmaceuticals hub of Surat, with India being seen as filling a supply void created by China’s strict ban on the key ingredients that go into fentanyl production.Yet fentanyl itself is not an illicit drug. Legally manufactured fentanyl is essential to modern medicine, with uses ranging from severe pain management and cancer care to anaesthesia and trauma treatment. It is tightly controlled in the US and regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in India. India’s regulatory framework, however, has been exploited by illicit actors sourcing chemicals for fentanyl production.The Surat filesA Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad’s case from 2025 centres on Satishkumar Sutaria of Surat-based Athos Chemicals. Investigators allege that Sutaria and associate Yukta Modi, now out on bail, forged end-user certificates — the mandatory declarations designed to ensure dual-use chemicals reach legitimate buyers — to obtain huge quantities of chemicals that go into to the making of fentanyl.According to investigators, chemicals like N-Boc-4-piperidone, 4-Anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (ANPP), and N-Phenethyl-4-piperidone were routed to J&C Import, a Guatemalan company allegedly linked to Mexican drug trafficking cartel Sinaloa intermediary Jaime Augusto Barrientos Camaz. One kilogram of N-Boc-4-piperidone can yield about 1.8kg of fentanyl, enough for about 9 lakh lethal doses. Sutaria and Modi are accused of facilitating, among other things, the procurement of 116kg of N-Boc-4-piperidone. This April, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Sutaria, Modi, and their associated companies. But the Indian links don’t end there.A US federal case in Brooklyn has implicated another Surat businessman, Bhavesh Lathia of Raxuter Chemicals, who pleaded guilty to distributing and smuggling more than 50 pounds of precursor chemicals. Prosecutors said he brokered sales online and knowingly mislabelled shipments as “Vitamin C” and “antacids” to slip past customs. He faces up to 40 years in prison.For years, Mexican cartels sourced many of its precursor chemicals through China. But, investigators say, procurement networks increasingly turned to India as Beijing tightened controls.Enforcement attention on Gujarat is explained by its position in India’s chemicals trade. The state accounts for roughly 50% of the country’s chemical output across more than 5,000 chemical units. It is also home to around 3,000 pharmaceutical units. Deep-water ports such as Mundra and Pipavav provide direct maritime access to Central America, with India’s roughly -billion pharma industry one of the world’s largest such ecosystems.It is this ecosystem that unscrupulous actors have used to drive illegal sales. “Customers may operate through intermediaries, distributors, brokers, or multiple business entities. Documentation may appear complete, yet the actual end-use of a chemical may not always be fully transparent,” said Dr Jaimin Vasa, president of Gujarat Chemical Association. What raises red flags, he added, are “unusually large orders, purchase quantities inconsistent with declared business activities, unusual urgency or unconventional payment arrangements”.The US Intelligence Community’s 2025 Annual Threat Assessment ranks India second only to China as a source of illicit fentanyl precursors and pill-pressing equipment. But the trail is complex. The 2025 annual report of International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) logged four European seizures of 1-Boc-4-piperidone in the second half of 2024, noting that “the substance originated in India”.India responded in Jan 2025, bringing two fentanyl precursors, including 1-Boc-4-piperidone, under stricter control through Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Amendment Order, 2025. The payoff was measurable: a coordinated interdiction using INCB’s pre-export notification online system stopped three tonnes of the chemical from reaching illicit channels. The board estimated that the shipment could have produced 1.4 to 3.3 tonnes of fentanyl, or somewhere between 700 million and 1.6 billion potentially lethal doses.Chinese, Afghan triggerThe geography of the trade changed dramatically on May 1, 2019, when China imposed class-wide controls on finished fentanyl-related substances or analogues.The significance lay in the method. Rather than banning substances one by one, China’s 2019 framework covers any compound that meets defined structural criteria — including variants not yet seen on the market. That closed the traffickers’ oldest workaround: altering the finished fentanyl molecule just enough to produce a potent but unregulated analogue.Shut out at the finished-drug end, syndicates moved further back down the synthesis chain. Rather than modifying the drug, rogue suppliers began modifying precursor building blocks (pre-precursors) such as para-fluoro-Boc-4-AP and ortho-methyl-Boc-4-AP (BOC-X) — chemicals that passed customs screening lawfully while still serving as effective inputs for the production of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.In mid-2024, China tightened controls further, placing 24 precursor chemicals under export licensing requirements. On July 20, 2025, Beijing brought 4-piperidone and 1-Boc-4-piperidone under strict national control.Did it work? Researchers Chao Wang and Nicholas Lassi of Zhejiang University’s Guanghua Law School argue it displaced the problem rather than dismantling it. In “Combating illicit fentanyl: Will increased Chinese regulation generate a public health crisis in India?”, they trace how sourcing migrated — citing DEA intelligence that syndicates moved precursor procurement from China to India between Feb and March 2018, “likely due in part to China’s regulation of ANPP and NPP”.A second shock reshaped the market at the same time. The Taliban’s ban on opium poppy cultivation drove a 95% collapse in Afghan opium production, according to INCB, pushing demand harder towards synthetics. INCB has since flagged the arrival of nitazenes — opioids up to 30 times more potent than fentanyl, now being sold as “synthetic heroin”.Regulatory routePrecursor control is where the two Asian giants take different paths. China regulates by chemical class. India regulates by list — naming substances one by one, which means regulators must identify each new compound after traffickers have already begun using it.India has been expanding that list fast. On Jan 23, 2025, the department of revenue added 18 designer compounds under Schedule B and C controls, including 4-piperidone, 1-Boc-4-piperidone. As of June 1, 2026, the national precursor registry covers 46 scheduled substances. Scheduled substances are those whose production and use is tightly controlled to prevent misuse.But the hardest chemicals to control are the ones legitimate industry cannot function without. Aniline and propionyl chloride — both associated with the Gupta synthesis pathway (see box) — are widely used in India’s dye, rubber and textile sectors, and remain unscheduled for that reason.In June 2026, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) responded by introducing a Voluntary Code of Conduct built around a “watch-out list” of 82 high-risk but unscheduled chemicals, including aniline, propionyl chloride and valerophenone.Releasing it in Ahmedabad on June 16, NCB director-general Anurag Garg was candid about the limits of policing: “While enforcement agencies play a critical role in interdiction and investigation, the fight against synthetic drugs cannot be won through enforcement action alone.”Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe said the chemicals industry had a crucial role to play, because those closest to the supply chain are often best placed to spot the early signs of diversion: unusually large or suspicious orders, abnormal purchasing or consumption patterns, and attempts to conceal a chemical’s intended end use.Govt is seeking to strengthen that vigilance with technology. The PREP Portal, introduced under its Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029), is designed to track dual-use chemicals through India’s supply chains and flag potential diversion before consignments leave the country.For investigators tracking the trade across continents, the devastation caused by illicit fentanyl is no longer in question. The harder question is whether regulation can keep pace with the chemical supply chains that sustain it. India’s chemical corridors are now central to that challenge.With inputs from Parag DaveGet the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorPaul JohnPaul John is the Chief of Bureau at TOI Ahmedabad, with over two decades of work experience across TOI bureaus in Vadodara and Surat. He has led impactful environmental campaigns, including Gujarat’s Toxic Corridor, My City My River, the RTI Act awareness campaign ‘Jago Gujarat – Use RTI’, and the Ahmedabad Heritage Campaign, which helped the city gain UNESCO World Heritage City status. He also co-authored TOI’s heritage books for three cities. Currently, he coordinates the Ahmedabad reporting team, focusing on civic-focused journalism.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAAP Leader Satyendar Jain Arrested In Delhi Jal Board ‘Corruption’ Case; Kejriwal Hits Out At BJPTrump Praises India’s Voter ID System, Pushes Same In US, Puts CEC Gyanesh Kumar In SpotlightBihar Transfers 18 Top Cops, Including Siwan SP, Amid Row Over AK-47 Use During Student Protest‘Join Republican Party’: Union Minister’s Big NDA Offer To CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke30,000 Protesters, 5,000 Cops: Delhi Police Defends Force Before Supreme Court In Protest CaseSIT Gives Clean Chit To Champat Rai & Anil Mishra In Ayodhya Probe, Submits Final Report | WatchVijay Apologises In Assembly After Karunanidhi Remark Sparks DMK Uproar Over Decorum BreachCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In Tears123PhotostoriesExclusive – Rubina Dilaik on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, staying away from daughters and Abhinav Shukla’s support: ‘Cried over the phone, wondering if I made the wrong decision’Aishwarya Rai Bachchan just reopened the timeless beauty files with these unseen Cannes 2026 gown photosYour liver may be struggling without pain: 7 warning signs you can spot in your eyes, skin and urine10 baby girl names drawn from ancient texts and mythologies associated with wisdomOptical illusion personality test: Elephant or village? What you see first reveals a hidden side of your personalityTravel vlogger Shenaz Treasury gets a vampire facial: Know its benefits, risks, and cost in India?‘Kantara’ star Rishab Shetty wore a black kurta and silk dhoti with a Gandaberunda motif, for a look fullof regal drama at Melbourne9 Simple daily remedies to enhance the power of your planetsHow to peel garlic quickly: 7 easy ways to remove garlic skin without sticky fingersRhea Chakraborty’s new luxurious home: A dreamy closet, French windows and more123Hot PicksArshdeep Singh DangBank holidays this weekBihar STET 2026BJP new teamJharkhand ProtestJSSC-CGL exam cancelledSatyendar JainSupreme Court HolidayTwisha SharmaTop TrendingTwisha SharmaDelhi Draft PollMadhya Pradesh AccidentKolkata Airport Building FireAbhijeet DipkeKiren RijijuBengaluru Double MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir

Just 2mg of fentanyl — an amount that can fit on a pencil tip — is enough to kill an adult. In Dec 2025, the latest month for which full data is available, over 70,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in US, with authorities saying that “approximately 69% of all overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids, overwhelmingly illicitly made fentanyl and its analogues” It takes only two milligrams of fentanyl, an amount that can fit on the tip of a pencil, to kill an adult, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Fifty times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, fentanyl has become the leading cause of accidental death among Americans aged 18 to 44. The scale of the crisis is reflected in the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s July release, which noted that “approximately 69% of all overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids, overwhelmingly illicitly made fentanyl and its analogues”.As US cracks down on illicit fentanyl use, the ripples have reached the distant shores of India’s western coast. Enforcement action has extended to entities linked to the chemicals and pharmaceuticals hub of Surat, with India being seen as filling a supply void created by China’s strict ban on the key ingredients that go into fentanyl production.Yet fentanyl itself is not an illicit drug. Legally manufactured fentanyl is essential to modern medicine, with uses ranging from severe pain management and cancer care to anaesthesia and trauma treatment. It is tightly controlled in the US and regulated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act in India. India’s regulatory framework, however, has been exploited by illicit actors sourcing chemicals for fentanyl production.The Surat filesA Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad’s case from 2025 centres on Satishkumar Sutaria of Surat-based Athos Chemicals. Investigators allege that Sutaria and associate Yukta Modi, now out on bail, forged end-user certificates — the mandatory declarations designed to ensure dual-use chemicals reach legitimate buyers — to obtain huge quantities of chemicals that go into to the making of fentanyl.According to investigators, chemicals like N-Boc-4-piperidone, 4-Anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (ANPP), and N-Phenethyl-4-piperidone were routed to J&C Import, a Guatemalan company allegedly linked to Mexican drug trafficking cartel Sinaloa intermediary Jaime Augusto Barrientos Camaz. One kilogram of N-Boc-4-piperidone can yield about 1.8kg of fentanyl, enough for about 9 lakh lethal doses. Sutaria and Modi are accused of facilitating, among other things, the procurement of 116kg of N-Boc-4-piperidone. This April, the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on Sutaria, Modi, and their associated companies. But the Indian links don’t end there.A US federal case in Brooklyn has implicated another Surat businessman, Bhavesh Lathia of Raxuter Chemicals, who pleaded guilty to distributing and smuggling more than 50 pounds of precursor chemicals. Prosecutors said he brokered sales online and knowingly mislabelled shipments as “Vitamin C” and “antacids” to slip past customs. He faces up to 40 years in prison.For years, Mexican cartels sourced many of its precursor chemicals through China. But, investigators say, procurement networks increasingly turned to India as Beijing tightened controls.Enforcement attention on Gujarat is explained by its position in India’s chemicals trade. The state accounts for roughly 50% of the country’s chemical output across more than 5,000 chemical units. It is also home to around 3,000 pharmaceutical units. Deep-water ports such as Mundra and Pipavav provide direct maritime access to Central America, with India’s roughly $60-billion pharma industry one of the world’s largest such ecosystems.It is this ecosystem that unscrupulous actors have used to drive illegal sales. “Customers may operate through intermediaries, distributors, brokers, or multiple business entities. Documentation may appear complete, yet the actual end-use of a chemical may not always be fully transparent,” said Dr Jaimin Vasa, president of Gujarat Chemical Association. What raises red flags, he added, are “unusually large orders, purchase quantities inconsistent with declared business activities, unusual urgency or unconventional payment arrangements”.The US Intelligence Community’s 2025 Annual Threat Assessment ranks India second only to China as a source of illicit fentanyl precursors and pill-pressing equipment. But the trail is complex. The 2025 annual report of International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) logged four European seizures of 1-Boc-4-piperidone in the second half of 2024, noting that “the substance originated in India”.India responded in Jan 2025, bringing two fentanyl precursors, including 1-Boc-4-piperidone, under stricter control through Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Amendment Order, 2025. The payoff was measurable: a coordinated interdiction using INCB’s pre-export notification online system stopped three tonnes of the chemical from reaching illicit channels. The board estimated that the shipment could have produced 1.4 to 3.3 tonnes of fentanyl, or somewhere between 700 million and 1.6 billion potentially lethal doses.Chinese, Afghan triggerThe geography of the trade changed dramatically on May 1, 2019, when China imposed class-wide controls on finished fentanyl-related substances or analogues.The significance lay in the method. Rather than banning substances one by one, China’s 2019 framework covers any compound that meets defined structural criteria — including variants not yet seen on the market. That closed the traffickers’ oldest workaround: altering the finished fentanyl molecule just enough to produce a potent but unregulated analogue.Shut out at the finished-drug end, syndicates moved further back down the synthesis chain. Rather than modifying the drug, rogue suppliers began modifying precursor building blocks (pre-precursors) such as para-fluoro-Boc-4-AP and ortho-methyl-Boc-4-AP (BOC-X) — chemicals that passed customs screening lawfully while still serving as effective inputs for the production of fentanyl and fentanyl analogues.In mid-2024, China tightened controls further, placing 24 precursor chemicals under export licensing requirements. On July 20, 2025, Beijing brought 4-piperidone and 1-Boc-4-piperidone under strict national control.Did it work? Researchers Chao Wang and Nicholas Lassi of Zhejiang University’s Guanghua Law School argue it displaced the problem rather than dismantling it. In “Combating illicit fentanyl: Will increased Chinese regulation generate a public health crisis in India?”, they trace how sourcing migrated — citing DEA intelligence that syndicates moved precursor procurement from China to India between Feb and March 2018, “likely due in part to China’s regulation of ANPP and NPP”.A second shock reshaped the market at the same time. The Taliban’s ban on opium poppy cultivation drove a 95% collapse in Afghan opium production, according to INCB, pushing demand harder towards synthetics. INCB has since flagged the arrival of nitazenes — opioids up to 30 times more potent than fentanyl, now being sold as “synthetic heroin”.Regulatory routePrecursor control is where the two Asian giants take different paths. China regulates by chemical class. India regulates by list — naming substances one by one, which means regulators must identify each new compound after traffickers have already begun using it.India has been expanding that list fast. On Jan 23, 2025, the department of revenue added 18 designer compounds under Schedule B and C controls, including 4-piperidone, 1-Boc-4-piperidone. As of June 1, 2026, the national precursor registry covers 46 scheduled substances. Scheduled substances are those whose production and use is tightly controlled to prevent misuse.But the hardest chemicals to control are the ones legitimate industry cannot function without. Aniline and propionyl chloride — both associated with the Gupta synthesis pathway (see box) — are widely used in India’s dye, rubber and textile sectors, and remain unscheduled for that reason.In June 2026, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) responded by introducing a Voluntary Code of Conduct built around a “watch-out list” of 82 high-risk but unscheduled chemicals, including aniline, propionyl chloride and valerophenone.Releasing it in Ahmedabad on June 16, NCB director-general Anurag Garg was candid about the limits of policing: “While enforcement agencies play a critical role in interdiction and investigation, the fight against synthetic drugs cannot be won through enforcement action alone.”Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesHe said the chemicals industry had a crucial role to play, because those closest to the supply chain are often best placed to spot the early signs of diversion: unusually large or suspicious orders, abnormal purchasing or consumption patterns, and attempts to conceal a chemical’s intended end use.Govt is seeking to strengthen that vigilance with technology. The PREP Portal, introduced under its Vision Document on Drug Control (2026-2029), is designed to track dual-use chemicals through India’s supply chains and flag potential diversion before consignments leave the country.For investigators tracking the trade across continents, the devastation caused by illicit fentanyl is no longer in question. The harder question is whether regulation can keep pace with the chemical supply chains that sustain it. India’s chemical corridors are now central to that challenge.With inputs from Parag DaveGet the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorPaul JohnPaul John is the Chief of Bureau at TOI Ahmedabad, with over two decades of work experience across TOI bureaus in Vadodara and Surat. He has led impactful environmental campaigns, including Gujarat’s Toxic Corridor, My City My River, the RTI Act awareness campaign ‘Jago Gujarat – Use RTI’, and the Ahmedabad Heritage Campaign, which helped the city gain UNESCO World Heritage City status. He also co-authored TOI’s heritage books for three cities. Currently, he coordinates the Ahmedabad reporting team, focusing on civic-focused journalism.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAAP Leader Satyendar Jain Arrested In Delhi Jal Board ‘Corruption’ Case; Kejriwal Hits Out At BJPTrump Praises India’s Voter ID System, Pushes Same In US, Puts CEC Gyanesh Kumar In SpotlightBihar Transfers 18 Top Cops, Including Siwan SP, Amid Row Over AK-47 Use During Student Protest‘Join Republican Party’: Union Minister’s Big NDA Offer To CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke30,000 Protesters, 5,000 Cops: Delhi Police Defends Force Before Supreme Court In Protest CaseSIT Gives Clean Chit To Champat Rai & Anil Mishra In Ayodhya Probe, Submits Final Report | WatchVijay Apologises In Assembly After Karunanidhi Remark Sparks DMK Uproar Over Decorum BreachCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In Tears123PhotostoriesExclusive – Rubina Dilaik on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, staying away from daughters and Abhinav Shukla’s support: ‘Cried over the phone, wondering if I made the wrong decision’Aishwarya Rai Bachchan just reopened the timeless beauty files with these unseen Cannes 2026 gown photosYour liver may be struggling without pain: 7 warning signs you can spot in your eyes, skin and urine10 baby girl names drawn from ancient texts and mythologies associated with wisdomOptical illusion personality test: Elephant or village? What you see first reveals a hidden side of your personalityTravel vlogger Shenaz Treasury gets a vampire facial: Know its benefits, risks, and cost in India?‘Kantara’ star Rishab Shetty wore a black kurta and silk dhoti with a Gandaberunda motif, for a look fullof regal drama at Melbourne9 Simple daily remedies to enhance the power of your planetsHow to peel garlic quickly: 7 easy ways to remove garlic skin without sticky fingersRhea Chakraborty’s new luxurious home: A dreamy closet, French windows and more123Hot PicksArshdeep Singh DangBank holidays this weekBihar STET 2026BJP new teamJharkhand ProtestJSSC-CGL exam cancelledSatyendar JainSupreme Court HolidayTwisha SharmaTop TrendingTwisha SharmaDelhi Draft PollMadhya Pradesh AccidentKolkata Airport Building FireAbhijeet DipkeKiren RijijuBengaluru Double MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir

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NEW DELHI: Supreme Court will on Wednesday constitute a high-powered committee led by a retired SC judge and comprising a former HC chief justice and a senior police officer to inquire into allegations and counter-allegations on police action on student protesters at the CJP-led Parliament march July 20, and recommend guidelines for graded use of force to control unruly agitators.A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said they had obtained consent of a former SC judge and a retired HC CJ but were not giving names as it might lead to people passing opinion in favour or against.The bench said it had also got consent of a former CBI director and a former DGP of a state, and asked the counsel for petitioners whether it would be better to have a former CBI director or an ex-DGP in the inquiry committee.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta and counsel for petitioners — senior advocates N Hariharan, Vrinda Grover, Shadan Farasat and Gopal Sankaranarayanan — have been asked to give suggestions by Tuesday evening on the terms of reference of the committee. “We will consider all the suggestions and pass an order on Wednesday,” the bench said.“The committee will give immediate audience to any victim to place their version. We will await their recommendations and pass required interim orders after hearing the parties,” the bench said.Police affidavit in apex court silent on use of pellet gunsAt the same time, SC also issued notice on a petition which sought fastening of accountability on the organisers of the protest that led to violence and damage to public property.Grover raised the issue of alleged illegal use of pellet guns against student protesters which left two persons injured. She said one of them is required to be compensated as he is an artist who, having suffered an eye injury, can’t earn a living.Significantly, the Delhi Police affidavit is completely silent on the use of pellet guns, possibly because it could have been used by other central forces. SC said the committee will examine this issue also and recommend if interim compensations are to be required.SC said it will direct authorities to hand over the entire evidence, consisting of videos, CCTV camera footage and other digital as well as documentary records which it had directed to be preserved, to the committee immediately to allow it to commence inquiry in the right earnest.Police in its affidavit said it will fully cooperate with the committee in the inquiry and provide all details to show that use of force “was done in a graded manner, strictly in accordance with law and but for the use of reasonable force depending on the situation, it would not have been possible to control law and order”.“Delhi Police acted bona fide, lawfully and strictly in discharge of its statutory obligations to maintain public order, protect Parliament House and other vital installations, safeguard public servants performing sovereign functions, and ensure safety of citizens,” it asserted.There is disturbing visual evidence of big groups of protesters targeting police officials, who were isolated from their colleagues, with stones, sticks, beating them up without any provocation almost in a lynching fashion, the affidavit said, adding that “it always presumes that students will not do any such criminal acts”. Multiple videos show protesters pulling off protective gear worn by police officers, dragging them, removing their helmets and deliberately pushing them to stone pavements, thus causing injuries to 248 officers and personnel, including women police officers, it said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIt said the petitioners have used selective photographs, incomplete video clips, unverified media and social media reports, authenticity of which has not been independently verified and allegations, which paint a one sided picture. “We want to bring the complete sequence of events based on contemporaneous official records, intelligence inputs, deployment records, videography, CCTV footage, wireless logs, daily diary entries and medical records generated and maintained during the life of the incident,” it said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAAP Leader Satyendar Jain Arrested In Delhi Jal Board ‘Corruption’ Case; Kejriwal Hits Out At BJPTrump Praises India’s Voter ID System, Pushes Same In US, Puts CEC Gyanesh Kumar In SpotlightBihar Transfers 18 Top Cops, Including Siwan SP, Amid Row Over AK-47 Use During Student Protest‘Join Republican Party’: Union Minister’s Big NDA Offer To CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke30,000 Protesters, 5,000 Cops: Delhi Police Defends Force Before Supreme Court In Protest CaseSIT Gives Clean Chit To Champat Rai & Anil Mishra In Ayodhya Probe, Submits Final Report | WatchVijay Apologises In Assembly After Karunanidhi Remark Sparks DMK Uproar Over Decorum BreachCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In Tears123PhotostoriesExclusive – Rubina Dilaik on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, staying away from daughters and Abhinav Shukla’s support: ‘Cried over the phone, wondering if I made the wrong decision’Aishwarya Rai Bachchan just reopened the timeless beauty files with these unseen Cannes 2026 gown photosYour liver may be struggling without pain: 7 warning signs you can spot in your eyes, skin and urine10 baby girl names drawn from ancient texts and mythologies associated with wisdomOptical illusion personality test: Elephant or village? What you see first reveals a hidden side of your personalityTravel vlogger Shenaz Treasury gets a vampire facial: Know its benefits, risks, and cost in India?‘Kantara’ star Rishab Shetty wore a black kurta and silk dhoti with a Gandaberunda motif, for a look fullof regal drama at Melbourne9 Simple daily remedies to enhance the power of your planetsHow to peel garlic quickly: 7 easy ways to remove garlic skin without sticky fingersRhea Chakraborty’s new luxurious home: A dreamy closet, French windows and more123Hot PicksArshdeep Singh DangBank holidays this weekBihar STET 2026BJP new teamJharkhand ProtestJSSC-CGL exam cancelledSatyendar JainSupreme Court HolidayTwisha SharmaTop TrendingTwisha SharmaDelhi Draft PollMadhya Pradesh AccidentKolkata Airport Building FireAbhijeet DipkeKiren RijijuBengaluru Double MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court will on Wednesday constitute a high-powered committee led by a retired SC judge and comprising a former HC chief justice and a senior police officer to inquire into allegations and counter-allegations on police action on student protesters at the CJP-led Parliament march July 20, and recommend guidelines for graded use of force to control unruly agitators.A bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said they had obtained consent of a former SC judge and a retired HC CJ but were not giving names as it might lead to people passing opinion in favour or against.The bench said it had also got consent of a former CBI director and a former DGP of a state, and asked the counsel for petitioners whether it would be better to have a former CBI director or an ex-DGP in the inquiry committee.Solicitor general Tushar Mehta and counsel for petitioners — senior advocates N Hariharan, Vrinda Grover, Shadan Farasat and Gopal Sankaranarayanan — have been asked to give suggestions by Tuesday evening on the terms of reference of the committee. “We will consider all the suggestions and pass an order on Wednesday,” the bench said.“The committee will give immediate audience to any victim to place their version. We will await their recommendations and pass required interim orders after hearing the parties,” the bench said.Police affidavit in apex court silent on use of pellet gunsAt the same time, SC also issued notice on a petition which sought fastening of accountability on the organisers of the protest that led to violence and damage to public property.Grover raised the issue of alleged illegal use of pellet guns against student protesters which left two persons injured. She said one of them is required to be compensated as he is an artist who, having suffered an eye injury, can’t earn a living.Significantly, the Delhi Police affidavit is completely silent on the use of pellet guns, possibly because it could have been used by other central forces. SC said the committee will examine this issue also and recommend if interim compensations are to be required.SC said it will direct authorities to hand over the entire evidence, consisting of videos, CCTV camera footage and other digital as well as documentary records which it had directed to be preserved, to the committee immediately to allow it to commence inquiry in the right earnest.Police in its affidavit said it will fully cooperate with the committee in the inquiry and provide all details to show that use of force “was done in a graded manner, strictly in accordance with law and but for the use of reasonable force depending on the situation, it would not have been possible to control law and order”.“Delhi Police acted bona fide, lawfully and strictly in discharge of its statutory obligations to maintain public order, protect Parliament House and other vital installations, safeguard public servants performing sovereign functions, and ensure safety of citizens,” it asserted.There is disturbing visual evidence of big groups of protesters targeting police officials, who were isolated from their colleagues, with stones, sticks, beating them up without any provocation almost in a lynching fashion, the affidavit said, adding that “it always presumes that students will not do any such criminal acts”. Multiple videos show protesters pulling off protective gear worn by police officers, dragging them, removing their helmets and deliberately pushing them to stone pavements, thus causing injuries to 248 officers and personnel, including women police officers, it said.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesIt said the petitioners have used selective photographs, incomplete video clips, unverified media and social media reports, authenticity of which has not been independently verified and allegations, which paint a one sided picture. “We want to bring the complete sequence of events based on contemporaneous official records, intelligence inputs, deployment records, videography, CCTV footage, wireless logs, daily diary entries and medical records generated and maintained during the life of the incident,” it said.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAAP Leader Satyendar Jain Arrested In Delhi Jal Board ‘Corruption’ Case; Kejriwal Hits Out At BJPTrump Praises India’s Voter ID System, Pushes Same In US, Puts CEC Gyanesh Kumar In SpotlightBihar Transfers 18 Top Cops, Including Siwan SP, Amid Row Over AK-47 Use During Student Protest‘Join Republican Party’: Union Minister’s Big NDA Offer To CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke30,000 Protesters, 5,000 Cops: Delhi Police Defends Force Before Supreme Court In Protest CaseSIT Gives Clean Chit To Champat Rai & Anil Mishra In Ayodhya Probe, Submits Final Report | WatchVijay Apologises In Assembly After Karunanidhi Remark Sparks DMK Uproar Over Decorum BreachCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In Tears123PhotostoriesExclusive – Rubina Dilaik on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, staying away from daughters and Abhinav Shukla’s support: ‘Cried over the phone, wondering if I made the wrong decision’Aishwarya Rai Bachchan just reopened the timeless beauty files with these unseen Cannes 2026 gown photosYour liver may be struggling without pain: 7 warning signs you can spot in your eyes, skin and urine10 baby girl names drawn from ancient texts and mythologies associated with wisdomOptical illusion personality test: Elephant or village? What you see first reveals a hidden side of your personalityTravel vlogger Shenaz Treasury gets a vampire facial: Know its benefits, risks, and cost in India?‘Kantara’ star Rishab Shetty wore a black kurta and silk dhoti with a Gandaberunda motif, for a look fullof regal drama at Melbourne9 Simple daily remedies to enhance the power of your planetsHow to peel garlic quickly: 7 easy ways to remove garlic skin without sticky fingersRhea Chakraborty’s new luxurious home: A dreamy closet, French windows and more123Hot PicksArshdeep Singh DangBank holidays this weekBihar STET 2026BJP new teamJharkhand ProtestJSSC-CGL exam cancelledSatyendar JainSupreme Court HolidayTwisha SharmaTop TrendingTwisha SharmaDelhi Draft PollMadhya Pradesh AccidentKolkata Airport Building FireAbhijeet DipkeKiren RijijuBengaluru Double MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir

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NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Union govt to solve the tragic mystery of Capt Ashish Kumar, who went missing after a missile attack on his ship, MT Skylight, in the Strait of Hormuz on March 1.He was presumed dead after bones were found in the burnt-out captain’s cabin. But DNA tests later showed that the remains were not his.His wife Anshu Kumari petitioned SC, claiming that the DNA test and medical evidence invalidate the presumption of his death.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesShe said, “The survival and captivity of Kumar are strongly evidenced by ransom calls received by the petitioner on March 4, three days after the incident, from international numbers (including UAE and Pakistan) demanding Rs 20 lakh. Moreover, WhatsApp messages were delivered in Kumar’s phone hours after the vessel was destroyed.”Captain’s wife claims lack of proper probeHis WhatsApp profile was manually deleted on March 31, said Captain Ashish Kumar’s wife“These electronic footprints strongly suggest the physical operation of his device post-incident. Despite these glaring indicators of life and extortion, Union govt has failed to initiate a specialised investigation or utilise diplomatic channels to trace the missing citizen,” she complained.A bench led by CJI Surya Kant asked solicitor general Tushar Mehta to inquire about Kumar’s whereabouts and file a status report. The SG said he would respond by Monday.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAAP Leader Satyendar Jain Arrested In Delhi Jal Board ‘Corruption’ Case; Kejriwal Hits Out At BJPTrump Praises India’s Voter ID System, Pushes Same In US, Puts CEC Gyanesh Kumar In SpotlightBihar Transfers 18 Top Cops, Including Siwan SP, Amid Row Over AK-47 Use During Student Protest‘Join Republican Party’: Union Minister’s Big NDA Offer To CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke30,000 Protesters, 5,000 Cops: Delhi Police Defends Force Before Supreme Court In Protest CaseSIT Gives Clean Chit To Champat Rai & Anil Mishra In Ayodhya Probe, Submits Final Report | WatchVijay Apologises In Assembly After Karunanidhi Remark Sparks DMK Uproar Over Decorum BreachCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In Tears123PhotostoriesExclusive – Rubina Dilaik on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, staying away from daughters and Abhinav Shukla’s support: ‘Cried over the phone, wondering if I made the wrong decision’Aishwarya Rai Bachchan just reopened the timeless beauty files with these unseen Cannes 2026 gown photosYour liver may be struggling without pain: 7 warning signs you can spot in your eyes, skin and urine10 baby girl names drawn from ancient texts and mythologies associated with wisdomOptical illusion personality test: Elephant or village? What you see first reveals a hidden side of your personalityTravel vlogger Shenaz Treasury gets a vampire facial: Know its benefits, risks, and cost in India?‘Kantara’ star Rishab Shetty wore a black kurta and silk dhoti with a Gandaberunda motif, for a look fullof regal drama at Melbourne9 Simple daily remedies to enhance the power of your planetsHow to peel garlic quickly: 7 easy ways to remove garlic skin without sticky fingersRhea Chakraborty’s new luxurious home: A dreamy closet, French windows and more123Hot PicksArshdeep Singh DangBank holidays this weekBihar STET 2026BJP new teamJharkhand ProtestJSSC-CGL exam cancelledSatyendar JainSupreme Court HolidayTwisha SharmaTop TrendingTwisha SharmaDelhi Draft PollMadhya Pradesh AccidentKolkata Airport Building FireAbhijeet DipkeKiren RijijuBengaluru Double MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Union govt to solve the tragic mystery of Capt Ashish Kumar, who went missing after a missile attack on his ship, MT Skylight, in the Strait of Hormuz on March 1.He was presumed dead after bones were found in the burnt-out captain’s cabin. But DNA tests later showed that the remains were not his.His wife Anshu Kumari petitioned SC, claiming that the DNA test and medical evidence invalidate the presumption of his death.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesShe said, “The survival and captivity of Kumar are strongly evidenced by ransom calls received by the petitioner on March 4, three days after the incident, from international numbers (including UAE and Pakistan) demanding Rs 20 lakh. Moreover, WhatsApp messages were delivered in Kumar’s phone hours after the vessel was destroyed.”Captain’s wife claims lack of proper probeHis WhatsApp profile was manually deleted on March 31, said Captain Ashish Kumar’s wife“These electronic footprints strongly suggest the physical operation of his device post-incident. Despite these glaring indicators of life and extortion, Union govt has failed to initiate a specialised investigation or utilise diplomatic channels to trace the missing citizen,” she complained.A bench led by CJI Surya Kant asked solicitor general Tushar Mehta to inquire about Kumar’s whereabouts and file a status report. The SG said he would respond by Monday.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosAAP Leader Satyendar Jain Arrested In Delhi Jal Board ‘Corruption’ Case; Kejriwal Hits Out At BJPTrump Praises India’s Voter ID System, Pushes Same In US, Puts CEC Gyanesh Kumar In SpotlightBihar Transfers 18 Top Cops, Including Siwan SP, Amid Row Over AK-47 Use During Student Protest‘Join Republican Party’: Union Minister’s Big NDA Offer To CJP Founder Abhijeet Dipke30,000 Protesters, 5,000 Cops: Delhi Police Defends Force Before Supreme Court In Protest CaseSIT Gives Clean Chit To Champat Rai & Anil Mishra In Ayodhya Probe, Submits Final Report | WatchVijay Apologises In Assembly After Karunanidhi Remark Sparks DMK Uproar Over Decorum BreachCriminal Cases Against Netas: 4,192 Trials Pending, 170 Lok Sabha MPs Face Serious ChargesJSSC-CGL CANCELLED: Jharkhand Students Celebrate After Government Accepts Key Demands“No Compensation, Build A School”: CJP Volunteer Emotional Tribute To Father Leaves Ranka In Tears123PhotostoriesExclusive – Rubina Dilaik on Khatron Ke Khiladi 15, staying away from daughters and Abhinav Shukla’s support: ‘Cried over the phone, wondering if I made the wrong decision’Aishwarya Rai Bachchan just reopened the timeless beauty files with these unseen Cannes 2026 gown photosYour liver may be struggling without pain: 7 warning signs you can spot in your eyes, skin and urine10 baby girl names drawn from ancient texts and mythologies associated with wisdomOptical illusion personality test: Elephant or village? What you see first reveals a hidden side of your personalityTravel vlogger Shenaz Treasury gets a vampire facial: Know its benefits, risks, and cost in India?‘Kantara’ star Rishab Shetty wore a black kurta and silk dhoti with a Gandaberunda motif, for a look fullof regal drama at Melbourne9 Simple daily remedies to enhance the power of your planetsHow to peel garlic quickly: 7 easy ways to remove garlic skin without sticky fingersRhea Chakraborty’s new luxurious home: A dreamy closet, French windows and more123Hot PicksArshdeep Singh DangBank holidays this weekBihar STET 2026BJP new teamJharkhand ProtestJSSC-CGL exam cancelledSatyendar JainSupreme Court HolidayTwisha SharmaTop TrendingTwisha SharmaDelhi Draft PollMadhya Pradesh AccidentKolkata Airport Building FireAbhijeet DipkeKiren RijijuBengaluru Double MurderWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoBen Gvir

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