Bomb threat to 11 sites including RBI, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank offices turns out to be hoax; security beefed up, says Mumbai Police

An email threatening 11 bombs at 11 sites across Mumbai — including the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and two private banks — HDFC bank and ICICI bank, was received by the central bank on Tuesday, Mumbai Police said. The bomber allegedly demanded resignations of the central bank's Governor and the Union Finance Minister, and threatened to blast the bombs at these sites if the demands were not met, the cops said.

Following the threat, Mumbai Police said that cops visited these 11 aforementioned places and investigated and found the claim to be hoax. However, a case has been registered in the matter and a probe is underway, it added. 

Maharashtra | RBI received a threatening email, in the email, it was said that bombs would be planted in RBI office, HDFC bank and ICICI bank and demanded the resignation of RBI governor Shaktikanta Das and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. A total of 11 bomb threats…

— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2023

Mumbai Police stated that the threats originated from an email address claiming to be from 'Khilafat India', warning that bombs were planted at the central bank and also at the ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank at 11 spots in total, which would explode at 1.30 pm.

The purported email read: "We have planted 11 bombs in different locations of Mumbai. RBI along with private sector banks have executed the biggest scam in the history of India. This scam involves RBI Governor 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."

The email – with subject line "Breaking News" – with a carbon copy (CC) to several senior officials, added that the alleged locations of three bombs at RBI New Central Office Building in Fort area, HDFC House at Churchgate, and ICICI Bank Towers at Bandra Kurla Complex.

The email sent at 10.50 am warned, "We demand that both RBI Governor & Finance Minister to immediately resign from their posts & release 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.” 

Thereafter, the Mumbai Police teams scanned these locations, but found nothing, and a case has been registered with further investigations underway, while security has been beefed up at all the sites.

(With Agency Inputs)