Two arrested in Chennai for hoax bomb threats to Gujarat courts

The Ahmedabad Cyber Crime Branch and Surat Crime Branch have arrested two men from Chennai for allegedly sending hoax bomb threat emails to the Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad and the Sessions Court in Surat. The suspects, identified as 28 year old Mahammad Asfaq Mahammad Aslam Ansari and 33 year old Rajesh, also known as Raj Michael Munia, were both residents of Surat. Police stated that the emails were sent on September 5 at 11:57 am and 11:59 am using an email ID created under a false name.

According to investigators, the threats were intended to disrupt legal proceedings and help Ansari evade a trial hearing at the Surat sessions court on September 5. Ansari had previously been jailed in a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and had been absconding for nine months after jumping parole. Rajesh had previously been lodged with Ansari in Lajpore Jail. The two reportedly traveled to Chennai in search of a ganja supplier, during which time they planned the hoax to mislead police regarding their location.

Police reported that the suspects used various technical means to conceal their identities, including changing hotels frequently and creating the email ID while traveling by train from Mumbai to Chennai. The arrests were made using technical analysis, surveillance, and human intelligence. A case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for criminal intimidation and the Information Technology Act for identity theft. Police records indicate that Ansari was previously arrested for possessing 512 grams of hybrid cannabis, while Rajesh was arrested in a case involving 100.260 grams of mephedrone.