RBI, two private banks receive terror threats at 11 sites, turn out to be hoaxes

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India and two private banks on Tuesday got threats of bombs allegedly planted at 11 of their locations in the city to demand the resignations of the central bank's Governor and the Union Finance Minister.

The threats came from the sender claiming to be from ‘Khilafat India’ on email warning that bombs were planted at the apex bank and also at the ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank at total 11 spots, 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 CC to several officials, added the alleged locations of 3 bombs at RBI New Central Office Building in Fort, HDFC House at Churchgate, and ICICI Bank Towers at Bandra Kurla Complex.

"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,” warned the email sent at 10.50 am.

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