The recent arrest of a foreign national who attempted to purchase a firearm led to the discovery of more sinister, potentially devastating plans.
Maurya Bharwad was arrested at a Dollar General store in Fourmile, Ky., just across the Knox County line into Bell County, on Feb. 1, 2025. He was arrested after officers located his vehicle following a notice to be on the lookout from Barbourville Police Department Sgt. Adam Townsley. Once Bharwad’s vehicle stopped at the business, he did not comply with commands from the officers and appeared to be moving inside the vehicle. The failure to follow commands led law enforcement to shoot rubber ammunition rounds at the driver’s window to get a clear view of the operator. After exiting the vehicle and struggling with the officers, he was taken into custody and positively identified as Bharwad. He admitted to the officers that he had been smoking marijuana. He was charged with DUI and other charges stemming from an incident at a Knox County gun shop.
According to a federal indictment filed on Feb. 27, 2025, on Jan. 31, just before the closing of business, Bharwad entered Blueline Tactical in Barbourville, seeking to purchase an American-made firearm. He was shown a Smith and Wesson Shield Plus 9mm handgun and inquired about the use of a high-capacity magazine for the weapon. Bharwad completed the required ATF Form 4473, supplied by the business, and produced a Kentucky operator’s license and a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employment authorization card. All identification confirmed the identity of Maurya Bharwad.
After Bharwad completed the ATF form, the business owner submitted the information to the FBI National Insta-Check System (NICS) for a background check, which resulted in a delay notification for the background check, meaning the sale of the firearm could not proceed at that time. The business owner reported that Bharwad’s behavior changed after he was informed the purchase couldn’t be completed, to which Bharwad said he needed the firearm “no matter what the government says”. According to the indictment, Bharwad was adamant about leaving with the firearm and was holding the unloaded gun and neared the exit of the store where another employee stood between Bharwad and the door, leading both the business owner and his employee to place their hands on their concealed handguns due to the customer’s erratic behavior. The business owner retrieved the firearm and ushered Bharwad out of the business.
The ATF Form 4473 was provided to law enforcement, and it was confirmed that Bharwad is who he said he was. He is a native and citizen of India. The form inquired about drug use and addiction as part of the application process. Bharwad checked the box for “no.”
The attempted firearm purchase was not the first time Bharwad had raised suspicions. According to the indictment, Sgt. Townsley was aware that Bharwad had recently been reported for “exhibiting strange behavior at a local church.” A church member, who is also a volunteer deputy sheriff, stated to Barbourville Police it appeared Bharwad was “attempting to survey various rooms inside the church and was behaving in a strange manner,” and “appeared to be acting nervous and was fidgeting.”
Following those concerns and the incident at the firearm store, Sgt. Townsley contacted Bell County law enforcement officers to be on the lookout for Bharwad and his vehicle. At the time, Barbourville Police Department was in the process of obtaining an arrest warrant for the firearm store incident.
After Bharwad was arrested, Sgt. Townsley and ICE Special Agent Frank Keyton interviewed him at the Barbourville Police Department, where the interview was recorded, and Bharwad was advised of his constitutional rights and agreed to speak with the officers. Bharwad acknowledged he had a marijuana addiction and was high at the time he attempted the firearm purchase.
During the interview, Bharwad was asked if he had “searched anything about firearms on his cell phone”, to which he said he had not. He did state, however, that he had searched for “how to make a bomb” in the past and had devised a plan “to use a bomb in the tunnels located in New York City and shut the city down.” When asked why, he stated something bad happened to him in New York, and he had thoughts in his head to commit crimes.
Additionally, Bharwad admitted his immigration status in the United States was not legal, that he was “out of status” on his student F-1 Visa, which Special Agent Keyton confirmed to be accurate.
A search at Bharwad’s Bell County residence revealed marijuana residue.
Bharwad remains incarcerated in the Knox County Detention Center and is due to appear on March 27, 2025, in United States District Court in London for arraignment.
