Most hoax threat emails traced to a few tech-savvy individuals: Mumbai Police
In the absence of any data, police have struggled to track down the accused in most cases and manage to arrest only those who are not tech-savvy enough to hide their trail.
3 min readMumbaiUpdated: Mar 12, 2026 08:53 PM IST
In the absence of any data, police have struggled to track down the accused in most cases and manage to arrest only those who are not tech-savvy enough to hide their trail. (Express Photo)
A large number of hoax bomb threat emails received by the Mumbai Police in recent years targeting schools, courts, luxury hotels and key public institutions are believed to originate from a small group of technically skilled individuals who carefully conceal their digital identities, officials said.
Police officers said that while FIRs are routinely registered after such threats, arrests are rare because the senders often rely on sophisticated tools such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), encrypted email services hosted abroad and the dark web to hide their digital footprint.
In the absence of any data, police have struggled to track down the accused in most cases and manage to arrest only those who are not tech-savvy enough to hide their trail.
An officer said that the e-mail threat received on Thursday due to which Vidhan Bhavan had to be cleared had demands for Khalistan in it. “A few hoax threat mails were received last year as well, mentioning similar demands. The Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS), too, has been probing the mails sent last year but there has been no breakthrough. We suspect it may be the same person who sent the mails last year,” the officer said.
Mumbai Police dog squad inspects the Vidhan Bhavan premises after a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax. (Express Photo)
The Mumbai police has also been on the lookout for another mystery hoax threat mails sender who till October 2025, had sent 17 threat e-mails to various places in the city and caused disruption.
Based on the analysis of various threat mails, police found nine commonalities using which they identified that the same person was sending these mails. Later it was found that the Chennai police, too, had registered 22 cases against the same individual.
“Central agencies were also carrying out a probe but the person could not be traced. The person used the dark web to create a mail ID and used a VPN due to which it becomes difficult to track his exact IP address. Without these details, it is not possible to track these people,” the officer said.
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The officer said that in several cases, disgruntled persons who wants to get back at someone or at the police machinery too sends such mails but they are easily tracked down as they do not take care to hide their digital footprint and usually send the mail in a fit of rage or under the influence of alcohol.
Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems.
Experience & Authority
Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field.
Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus.
Key Beats:
Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force.
Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict.
Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations.
Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed.
Credentials & Trustworthiness
Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order.
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Mumbai Police dog squad inspects the Vidhan Bhavan premises after a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax. (Express Photo)
