The episode has since led to multiple arrests and disciplinary action against police officers.
The video
The original video, which went viral on November 23, 2025, showed two men in conversation, with one displaying firearms and allegedly issuing threats.
Acting on the clip, police lodged a case on charges of acts endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India, criminal conspiracy, possessing illegal weapons under Arms Act, and under the IT Act at Nangal police station.
Police said the man brandishing the weapons was later identified as Aaquib, a resident of Mawana area of Meerut district. The other man was identified as Maijul from Bijnor. While Aaquib was found to be staying in Dubai, Maijul was in South Africa.
But the then SHO of the police station had closed the case, stating that the assault rifle seen in the video was a toy gun while the grenade was a perfume bottle and, hence, no serious offence was made out.
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The SHO had mentioned he spoke with Aaquib through a video call, who made the claims about the weapons. Based on this statement, a closure report was filed and endorsed by the then Circle Officer (CO) before being forwarded to the court.
A breakthrough
Last month, the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (UP ATS) arrested four men accused of allegedly conspiring to plant bombs at the Lucknow railway station. During questioning, police said one of them, Saquib from Meerut, reportedly told the ATS team that they were linked to Aaquib.
The Bijnor case was revived and the SHO was suspended while the CO was removed. A departmental inquiry was ordered.
Arrests followed quickly
During re-investigation, police said, it was found there were two others seen in that video. They were later identified as Azad of Mandawar area and Uvaid Malik of Raipur area, both in Bijnor.
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Earlier this month, police arrested Uvaid and one Jalal Haider.
On April 15, police arrested one Sameer alias Ruhan of Najibabad area after he was allegedly found to be in regular contact with the other accused through a social media platform (Telegram). Police claimed he was allegedly involved in anti-national activities after obtaining evidence from his mobile phone.
On April 18, Maijul was arrested soon after he landed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport from South Africa. A lookout notice had been issued against him, Aaquib and Azad.
SP Bijnor, Abhishek, told The Indian Express that authorities alerted them as soon as Maijul landed in Delhi.
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On Friday, Bijnor Police arrested two men allegedly involved in anti-national activities, with links to Aaquib. Police said the duo are Zulfiqar alias Raka and Arif Malik.
A spokesperson from the DGP Headquarters said that during interrogation, Arif claimed he had formed a group of local youth with criminal intent. To bring them together, Aaquib fired outside his house in February last year but Arif didn’t tell police about it. Later, he joined Aaquib through social media.
Police also said Arif claimed Aaquib warned him over WhatsApp to delete all photos and videos related to him.
Police said Zulfikar, during interrogation, said he has been living in Tamil Nadu for the last two years, working as a barber, and he’s been in contact with Aaquib through social media for the past two years.
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Both men, police said, claimed Aaquib used to upload provocative videos on social media and photos of burning vehicles of a particular community and damaging railway tracks.
