Hoax Caller Nabbed After Bomb Scare at Iconic Delhi Sites

A 38-year-old man named Asif was arrested for making a hoax bomb threat at Jama Masjid and Red Fort in Delhi. Under the influence of alcohol, he used a lost phone and SIM card to make the call. Police traced him using digital forensics and apprehended him on April 14.

A 38-year-old individual has been taken into custody for allegedly issuing a hoax bomb threat targeting Delhi's Jama Masjid and Red Fort, police disclosed on Thursday.

The accused, Asif, reportedly made the call while inebriated, utilizing a mobile phone he discovered in Roorkee with a lost SIM card to mask his identity. On April 10, a threatening call was made to the emergency helpline number 112, prompting the registration of a case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the Jama Masjid police station.

Authorities employed digital forensics and technical surveillance, alongside IMEI and call detail record tracking, to trace the call back to a phone originally belonging to Saddam from Ghaziabad. Subsequent investigations zeroed in on Asif, who had vacated his Karawal Nagar home. He was eventually apprehended near the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital on April 14. During interrogation, Asif admitted to making the prank call from Paharganj while under the influence. The phone used in the misdemeanor has been confiscated, officials reported.

(With inputs from agencies.)