Daijiworld Media Network – Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, Mar 5: In a major breakthrough in the nationwide hoax bomb threat case, the Gujarat Crime Branch, in coordination with the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Unit, has arrested a 28-year-old man from West Bengal for allegedly sending a series of threatening emails that triggered panic across several Indian cities.
The accused, identified as Sourav Biswas, was apprehended from the New Barrackpore area of West Bengal. Officials said the arrest marks the first significant development in the probe into a wave of hoax bomb threats that caused widespread alarm among security agencies and the public.
According to investigators, the accused allegedly sent more than 50 bomb threat emails over the past five days, targeting locations in Mumbai, Delhi, Gujarat and other states. The emails reportedly named schools, courts, metro stations, financial institutions and even the stock exchange in Mumbai.
On February 27, panic gripped Mumbai after threatening emails were sent at around 8.46 am to several schools and metro stations, warning of bomb blasts within two days. The messages prompted immediate security alerts, emergency inspections and evacuations at multiple locations.
Following the incident, a case was registered at the Dindoshi Police Station, and a detailed technical investigation was launched. Cyber experts traced the digital footprint of the emails, which eventually led them to West Bengal.
Investigators also found that a similar threatening email had been sent in Ahmedabad on February 16, in connection with which a separate case had already been registered by the Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Police.
Acting on technical inputs and intelligence gathered during the probe, Ahmedabad Crime Branch officials detained the suspect on March 1. Subsequently, Mumbai Police took custody of the accused for further investigation.
Police confirmed that the accused has been placed under remand and is being interrogated to ascertain the motive behind the threats, the technological methods used to send the emails and whether any accomplices or a larger network are involved.
Preliminary questioning indicates that the emails may have been intended to create panic, though officials said all angles are being thoroughly examined as the investigation continues.