15 hrs ago
Two Held Over Hoax Bomb Threat Emails to Gujarat Courts
Police in Gujarat arrested two men in Chennai.
The men are accused of sending emails that threatened bombs at courts in Ahmedabad and Surat.
The emails were sent on September 5.
One accused, Mahammad Asfaq Ansari, had a drug-related case in court.
Police said he had been released on parole but did not return to jail.
He was also absent when his trial hearing was scheduled.
Police believe the threats were meant to delay the court case and disrupt police and court work.
Investigators said the men used a fake email account to hide who they were.
The arrests followed a 48-hour investigation using technical information from the emails.
Gujarat Police arrested Mahammad Asfaq Ansari and Rajesh alias Raj Munia in Chennai over alleged hoax bomb-threat emails.
The emails were received by the Gujarat High Court and the Sessions Court in Surat on September 5, according to police.
Police said Ansari, an accused in an NDPS case, sent the threats after allegedly jumping parole and missing a trial hearing.
The messages reportedly threatened Ahmedabad and Surat courts and included references to an RDX bomb.
Investigators said the accused created a fake email ID and used technical knowledge to conceal their identities and location.
- Who
- Gujarat Police arrested Mahammad Asfaq Ansari and Rajesh alias Raj Munia; police identified Ansari as an accused in an NDPS case.
- What
- Two men allegedly sent hoax bomb-threat emails referring to the Gujarat High Court and the Sessions Court in Surat.
- Where
- The threatened courts were in Ahmedabad and Surat, Gujarat, while the arrests took place in Chennai.
- When
- The emails were sent on September 5; police announced the arrests on Monday after a 48-hour operation.
- Why
- Police said the threats were intended to stall proceedings after Ansari allegedly missed a hearing, remained away after parole, and was not granted bail.
Key facts
- Arrests
- Two men were arrested in Chennai.
- Accused
- Mahammad Asfaq Ansari, 28, and Rajesh alias Raj Munia, 33.
- Threat date
- September 5.
- Target courts
- The Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad and the Sessions Court in Surat.
- Reported message
- The emails reportedly stated: “Bomb rdx Ahmedabad and Surat court” and threatened to blow up the premises.
- Investigation
- The Ahmedabad City Cyber Crime Branch and Surat Crime Branch traced the accused with help from the Chennai ATS by analysing email-related technical data.
- Police's alleged motive
- To delay or disrupt court and police proceedings connected with an NDPS case.
Quotes
Gujarat Police
Police investigators who announced the arrests and described the alleged email threat
“On September 5, accused Mahammad Asfaq Mahammad Aslam Ansari, had a trial hearing at the Sessions Court, Surat, and was not present there. He sent the email on that day.”
indianexpress.com
Sources
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