kolkata

IIE DIGITAL DESK :  27-year-old man from Garden Reach in Kolkata has been arrested for allegedly sending a threatening email warning of a suicide bomb attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The arrest was made on Friday night following a joint investigation conducted by the Cyber Cell of Kolkata Police and the Special Task Force.

Commissioner of Police V Solomon Nisha Kumar, the threatening email was received at Bhabanipur Police Station at approximately 10:15 am on May 14. The email was sent using the name of a woman and claimed that a suicide bomb attack would be carried out on the Chief Minister with the assistance of the terror outfit Al-Qaeda. The alarming content of the message immediately prompted security agencies to launch a detailed investigation.

Investigators traced the origin of the email to Hasnain Iqbal, a resident of Golam Abbas Lane in the Garden Reach area of Kolkata. Technical surveillance and cyber tracking led authorities to identify him as the sender. He was subsequently taken into custody and interrogated.

Hasnain reportedly admitted to sending the email. Police sources revealed that he used the name of a woman known to him while sending the threat. Preliminary findings suggest that his motive may have been to harass or implicate the woman and her family in a serious criminal matter. Investigators believe the threat was not linked to any actual terror plot but was instead a malicious attempt to create panic and cause personal harm.

Further investigation revealed that the accused had previously sent emails to multiple institutions, including the Election Commission and various departments of the Government of India. Officials stated that Hasnain possesses considerable technical knowledge, particularly in creating IP addresses and handling other IT-related tools. Authorities suspect he used these skills to mask his digital footprint and carry out similar acts in the past.

Security agencies are continuing to examine his electronic devices and online activities to determine whether he had any broader intentions or connections. Police have assured that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure the safety of the Chief Minister and to prevent the misuse of digital platforms for issuing threats or spreading panic.

The incident has once again highlighted the growing challenge of cyber-enabled threats and the importance of swift digital forensics in preventing potential security breaches.