Ahmedabad: Cybercrime police in Ahmedabad registered a fresh offence after a series of bomb threat emails were sent to the Gujarat high court and several other judicial institutions, even as the main accused in an earlier threat case was already arrested. According to the complaint filed on March 9 by head constable Ashwin Natu of the cybercrime police station, authorities received information through the police control room that an email threatening a bomb blast was sent to the official email IDs of the high court.Police said the email, sent from the ID sourav_biswas1@outlook.com, claimed that 14 explosive devices filled with cyanide gas were planted inside the judges’ chambers and court premises. The message warned authorities to evacuate the premises and claimed the devices could explode before 1pm.Investigators said similar emails with identical subject lines were sent to several other institutions in Ahmedabad, including district courts and the state consumer dispute redressal commission. Another threat mail was also sent to the regional passport office, warning that explosive devices were planted on the premises. “The emails contained statements intended to create fear and panic among officials and the public. Security checks were carried out at the premises mentioned in the messages,” a cybercrime officer said.Police said the threat emails were sent from three email IDs — sourav_biswas1@outlook.com, sourav_biswas21@hotmail.com, and ajitham_kudumba@outlook.com — between March 8 and March 9.The development comes days after the arrest of Sourav Biswas, 30, who was allegedly operating an online marketplace dealing in compromised digital accounts. He was arrested in Kolkata, West Bengal, on March 1 in a joint operation by the Ahmedabad crime branch and cybercrime police.Officials said Biswas was brought to Ahmedabad on transit remand on March 3 and placed in police custody for interrogation. During questioning, investigators learned that the email ID used in the threat messages had previously been sold to multiple individuals in Bangladesh. “Even though the accused was arrested, the email account linked to him was sold or shared with several persons. These users may have continued sending threatening emails,” a cybercrime officer said.Police registered an offence under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, including sections related to criminal intimidation and spreading fear, along with provisions of the Information Technology Act.Police are now analysing server data and login records to identify the individuals currently operating the email accounts and trace their location.
