© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
On November 17 — days after the bust of an alleged ricin terror case in Ahmedabad and the subsequent blast outside the Red Fort in Delhi that killed 12 — Gujarat Director General of Police (DGP) Vikas Sahay directed police stations across the state to compile dossiers on those either known to be involved in “anti-national” activities, or booked, convicted, acquitted, or jailed in terror cases in the last 30 years.
This direction, which asks for the current whereabouts of the people, means that the police are now compiling data on terrorism suspects since 1995. Significantly, the dossier will not only have those directly involved in terrorism acts but also will also have those with cases under the Arms Act or even drug charges.
The police chief has given his men 100 hours – until November 22 – for this task.
40% of those in existing ATS dossier are in four major cities
In the state, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) is the highest authority investigating terrorism cases, with the district Special Operations Group (SOG) acting as its extensions. The SOGs will compile the data and eventually send it to the Additional Director General (ADGP) of the ATS.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad’s (ATS) state dossier has more than 20,000 people categorised as “anti-national” elements across Gujarat’s 34 districts. The order means that the dossier, first drawn up under orders issued by DGP Sahay on August 23, 2024, will now be updated annually.
Notably, 8,100 – roughly 40 percent of these 20,000 people – are in the four major cities: 3,800 in Surat, 2,500 in Ahmedabad, 1,350 in Rajkot and 450 in Vadodara, senior police officials tell The Indian Express.
A copy of the recent 100-hour order issued on November 17, 2025, shows that those booked under six crime heads need to be verified. These include those under The Arms Act, the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the Explosives Act, the Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), those under TADA, POTA, MCOCA and UAPA, and the Petroleum Act and Rules.
On Tuesday, the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Ahmedabad City Police reached Juhapura to check on those earlier accused in the 2008 Ahmedabad bombings. In Surat, the SOG began combing through records and visiting people associated with the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).
Officials said this exercise is meant not only to update the state police’s dossier but also create a “deterrence effect”. This is also expected to help the police book anyone currently found to be “involved” in illegal activities.
According to a police officer in Saurashtra, three decades was a good time frame “because, if you see the average age of those involved in serious crimes such as the ones we are looking out for, they are in the range of 25-35 years”.
While the list of persons and organisations to be checked is long, the police have begun with those allegedly involved with criminal as well as terrorist organisations such as SIMI, and those booked in terrorism cases involving mass casualties, such as the 2008 bomb blasts.
The ATS, meanwhile, has begun investigating major terrorist organisations and their suspected members.
While the DGP’s order of verification of “anti-national” elements might cover those booked under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) (including the Gujarat version) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Gujarat Police claim it won’t “spare even drug dealers, fake notes distributors or small arms sellers”.
According to the police, while the term “anti-national” is specific, major crimes cannot be looked at in isolation.
“The person who sells an illegal gun most likely doesn’t know the final purpose of the weapon, and so the police must look at all those who could contribute to activities that may contribute to major incidents,” a senior officer privy to the developments said.
For instance, on November 8, when the Gujarat ATS arrested three men allegedly accused of trying to isolate the deadly chemical agent ricin for a major terror attack, it also seized from them three pistols that were allegedly dropped over the international border from Pakistan.
As an officer in central Gujarat put it: “We are also looking to see if there is any terror financing angle through fake currency, narcotics, or through the arms trade. We might get clues about such activities, which is why we need to check everyone under these six crime heads.”
Apart from names, addresses and contact details, the dossier will contain details of close relatives, their criminal “affiliation”, modus operandi, record of fingerprints, cases, local haunts and known associates.
Where those being profiled have cases in multiple districts, police in the district of their residence will have jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the ATS keeps watch on people who have moved away from Gujarat.
“Our motive is to verify, not apprehend or detain unless there is reason,” one officer said.
