Written by Chandan Haygunde+1 MoreUpdated: November 17, 2025 08:56 AM IST 4 min readSources in the ATS said despite working in the software industry for over 15 years, Hangargekar still had an orthodox mindset, with strict adherence to Sharia. (File)A probe by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has revealed that Pune-based IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37), who is alleged to have links with the terror groupAl-Qaeda, was preaching youngsters that “democracy is against Shariat” and that he created Telegram groups where topics such as “Ghazwa-e-Hind” and “replacing democracy with Shariat” were allegedly discussed.A native of Solapur district in Maharashtra, Hangargekar was working with a software company at Kalyani Nagar in Pune, drawing a salary of Rs 22 lakh per year. He was arrested by the ATS on October 27, under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). The ATS has submitted in court that Hangargekar was allegedly trying to recruit people for the banned terror groups “Al-Qaeda/ Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)) and all its manifestations”.It has been learnt that Hangargekar studied at the Solapur Social Association Urdu High School, before completing his BE degree from the Walchand Institute of Technology, Solapur. After shifting to Pune, he initially worked for a prominent IT company in Hinjewadi.Sources in the ATS said despite working in the software industry for over 15 years, Hangargekar still had an orthodox mindset, with strict adherence to Sharia. “Probe revealed that Hangargekar was practising Sharia within his family. Besides, he was actively preaching to impressionable youngsters that democracy is against Shariat. He urged the youth to boycott India’s democratic process,” sources said.Probe revealed that Hangargekar got highly radicalised after meeting terror suspects from Pune and Hyderabad in 2015. “He was extensively reading books and content produced by radical preachers from the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, including top-tier Al-Qaeda ideologues. He has studied major Al-Qaeda attacks in depth, including the 9/11 attack in the USA,” sources said.A probe into Hangargekar’s social media activities revealed that he is a member of multiple Telegram groups, including international ones, that circulate extremist content. Sources said he also created his own Telegram groups comprising youngsters and other like-minded individuals, where they allegedly “discussed topics such as Ghazwa-e-Hind, establishment of the Khilafat and replacing democracy with Shariat in India, and dissolving national boundaries by working for a united global Ummah.”The ATS is probing over 1 TB (terabyte) data recovered from Hangargekar’s cell phone and laptop. According to the ATS, an Urdu translation of a speech given by Osama Bin Laden was retrieved from Hangargekar’s cell phone recovered from his residence in Kondhwa Khurd, Pune.Story continues below this adThe ATS also claims to have recovered from his devices multiple Al-Qaeda and AQIS magazines that glorify “martyrdom through jihad” and openly urge the readers to “establish Khilafat rule in India through violent jihad.”Sources said that these magazines have bomb making manuals with information on carrying out lone-wolf attacks, and undertaking guerrilla-style terror operations. This month, ATS has submitted in the court that a publication called “Inspire Magazine” retrieved from Hangargekar’s cell phone had information such as “OSJ Gun School”, with photographs of “training with AK 47 rifles” and “OSJ Bomb School” as well as details about making acetone peroxide IEDs.The ATS has received a confidential report from the High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Pune, about the bomb making procedure mentioned in the magazine.The ATS has submitted in court that Hangargekar spoke “aggressively” during his “Dars (lectures) on Quran, Hadith as well as Khilafat at a location in Kondhwa.” According to the ATS, a day after his arrest, a person in his contact allegedly shifted some suspicious literature and documents from this location, and burnt it at a madrasa in Kalepadal area. Sources said he also conducted “Dars” sessions in Solapur and Thane for indoctrinating youths.Story continues below this adSo far, the ATS has seized 12 cell phones, six laptops, four hard discs, two pen drives and a sim card from Hangargekar and his contacts for investigation. The state anti-terrorism agency has also found that Hangargekar was closely linked to some persons earlier booked in terror cases. The ATS has recorded statements of some of them, including an Urdu PhD scholar and former lecturer at the National Defence Academy (NDA), who was arrested and convicted under Arms Act, but let free of terror conspiracy charges in 2002-2003 Mumbai serial blasts cases.Chandan Haygunde is an assistant editor with The Indian Express with 15 + years of experience in covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has been associated with The Indian Express since 2007. Chandan has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He has done in-depth reporting on the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and hearings of the ‘Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry’. ... Read MoreSushant Kulkarni is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express in Pune with 12+ years of experience covering issues related to Crime, Defence, Internal Security and Courts. He has been associated with the Indian Express since July 2010. Sushant has extensively reported on law and order issues of Pune and surrounding area, Cyber crime, narcotics trade and terrorism. His coverage in the Defence beat includes operational aspects of the three services, the defence research and development and issues related to key defence establishments. He has covered several sensitive cases in the courts at Pune. Sushant is an avid photographer, plays harmonica and loves cooking. ... Read MoreClick here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd