Mumbai Police arrest Gujarat resident for sending threatening mails to RBI, other banks

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Mumbai Police on Wednesday said that a man was arrested from Vadodara in Gujarat for sending a threatening email to the Reserve Bank of India office in Mumbai.

Newswire ANI reported quoting the Mumbai police officials that Mumbai Crime Branch arrested the person from Vadodara in Gujarat and is questioning the accused as to why the threatening email was sent.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and two private banks on Tuesday received a bomb threat email from an unknown person, demanding the immediate resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das.

Promptly responding to the ominous message, the Mumbai Police initiated heightened security measures, conducting searches at three locations mentioned in the threats. Police personnel were also deployed across key public areas and tourist spots as a precautionary measure.

The email, sent from khilafat.india@gmail.com to the RBI governor's official email address at 10.50 am, claimed 11 bombs had been placed across the city.

The email, which was in all caps and rife with spelling mistakes, read, "We have planted '11" bombs in different locations of Mumbai. RBI along with private sector banks has executed the biggest scam in the history of India this scam involves RBI governer (sic) "Shaktikanta Das", finance minister "Nirmala Sitharaman", some of the top banking officials & some renowned ministers of India we have sufficient solid proofs for the same (sic)."

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The email demanded that both the RBI governor and finance minister resign and issue a press statement "with full disclosure of the scam".

"We also demand government to give them both and all those who are involved the punishment they deserve. If our demands are not met before 1.30 pm, all the 11 bombs will blast one by one," the email read.

However, no suspicious items were found at the specified locations - New Central Office Building, Fort; HDFC Bank, Churchgate; and ICICI Bank Towers, BKC - in police searches, assisted by Bomb Detection and Disposal (BDDS) personnel.

The MRA Marg police have registered an offence against an unidentified individual based on the RBI's complaint. The charges include various sections of the Indian Penal Code, such as 505-1b (circulating false alarm or warning leading to panic), 502-2 (statements causing public mischief) and 506-2 (criminal intimidation). (With inputs from ANI)