Bombay High Court Bomb Threat Email Sparks Evacuation, Declared Hoax
Proceedings halted for two hours after hoax email; search finds nothing suspicious.
The Bombay High Court suspended operations and evacuated its premises on Friday afternoon after receiving a bomb threat email, which was later confirmed to be a hoax, police officials said. The email, sent to the court’s official address, warned of a bomb blast within the building, triggering immediate action from authorities. The incident disrupted court proceedings for nearly two hours, with normal operations resuming by 3:00 pm after a thorough search found no suspicious items.
The threat prompted a swift response as police, along with the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) and a dog squad, conducted a comprehensive search of the court complex in South Mumbai’s Fort area. Judges, lawyers, staff, and visitors were evacuated as a precautionary measure, following standard operating procedures (SOPs). A senior police official stated, “A thorough search was conducted, but nothing suspicious was found. It turned out to be a hoax mail.” Authorities have launched a cyber investigation to trace the email’s origin.
The incident follows a similar bomb threat email received by the Delhi High Court earlier the same day, which claimed three bombs were placed in judges’ rooms and the court complex, urging evacuation by 2:00 pm. That threat also prompted a search operation, with no explosives found. Both incidents reflect a recent wave of hoax threats targeting prominent institutions in India, including schools and airports, raising concerns about public safety and security.
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Legal experts and officials called for stricter measures against those responsible for such hoaxes, citing their disruptive impact on judicial processes. The Bombay High Court, a key judicial institution, has faced similar threats in the past, with at least three such evacuations in the last three decades, according to senior advocate Uday Warunjikar.
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