Bomb threat at High Court turns out to be hoax

Aurangabad: A threat of planting a bomb at the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court on the evening of Tuesday turned out to be a hoax.

According to the police, the control room of the city received a phone call from an unknown person from Bihar stating there was a bomb planted in the court premises. The caller also shared the name and contact number of a lawyer in the city and discontinued the call.

Police said that the regular function of the High Court was over and all were leaving for home. The office of the commissioner of police received a call from Bihar between 5.30 pm and 5.45 pm. The caller said ‘Paise Dekar Bhi Kam Nahi Hote, Isliya Maine High Court Mein Bomb Rakha (works are not done even after paying money, so, I planted a bomb in the High Court).’

The caller was speaking in Hindi and shared the name and contract of lawyer Duttatray Jadhav who practises law in HC and district court.

The control room informed the police inspector of the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS) Sushil Jumde. Within a short, Sushil Jumde reached the high court with a squad of two sniffer dogs-Zeba and Eva’ and started the enquiry. Cyber police started the technical probe on receiving the caller’s mobile number. The sniffer dogs squad searched the first and second floor of the main building of the court and found them not objectionable. All heaved a sigh of relief over this.

Police inspector of Pundliknagar Police Station Rajashri Ade, inspector of High Court security team Hanumant Girme, and PI of Cyber Police Station Pravin Yadav assisted in the probe. Senior officers of city police were also alerted on receiving the call.

Box

Similar call received on Jan 26

The police control room received a similar hoax call of planting a bomb on January 26, 2023. The caller shared the name of adv Duttatray Jadhav and his mobile number. At that time, adv Jadhav was in Tirupati. He had switched off his phone when he went to Mandir for Darshan. He learnt about the incident when switched on his phone. After 19 days, the caller shared his name again. Because of this, he had to suffer a lot. Police called him to Pundliknagar Police Station and recorded his statement.

Box

Probe conducted for 2 & half hours

The BDDS squad comprising Inspector Sushil Jumbde and constables Raju Ghate, Mahendra Ambhore, Sharad Patil, Shujauddin Shaikh, Harish Barwal, Gopal Wayal, Yogesh Aher and Mahadev Shirsath searched all premises including the main building and parking for two and half hours.

Box

Tight police security

The city police maintain the security of the High Court. The police team comprises one police inspector, assistant inspector, PSI and 50 constables are deployed for the security of the court.