Officials told India Today that the accused were planning attacks on key installations and security personnel in Delhi, Mumbai, and other major cities across the country.

Investigators said the group was operating under the directions of handlers based across the border and had been tasked with carrying out targeted attacks aimed at creating panic and disrupting security arrangements.

The arrests were made following a coordinated operation by the Special Cell after authorities received specific intelligence inputs regarding the alleged terror plot.
Police reportedly recovered a cache of arms and explosives from the possession of the accused during the operation.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the suspects were allegedly in contact with Pakistan-backed operatives and were receiving instructions regarding potential targets, India Today reported.

Sources told the news channel that the arrested individuals belong to different states, including Delhi, Maharashtra, and Punjab. According to reports, several foreign nationals were also detained for questioning, although their identities have not been disclosed.

The latest arrests come months after a major terror module linked to an al-Qaeda-affiliated group was busted in the national capital.
Last year, an explosion near the Red Fort Metro Station killed at least 15 people, including the driver of the vehicle, Dr Umar Mohammad, who died in the blast.

The other key accused in that case were identified as Kashmir residents Muzammil Shakeel Ganai, Adeel Ahmed Rather, his brother Muzaffar Ahmed Rather, Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay, and Uttar Pradesh resident Shaheen Saeed.

According to investigators, some of the accused were associated with Al-Falah University. They were allegedly part of a "white-collar" terror module linked to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organisation. The module was busted shortly before the Red Fort blast.

Further investigation into the latest case is underway to determine the full extent of the network and identify any additional individuals involved in the alleged conspiracy.