After Delhi Police grilling, Mumbai Police to interrogate mastermind of over 1000 bomb hoax mails

Mysuru/Mumbai, March 31 (IANS) The Mumbai Crime Branch has initiated preparations to secure the custody of 47-year-old Srinivas Lewis, who is accused of sending more than 1,100 threatening emails nationwide, including several targeting Mumbai.

In a major breakthrough, the Delhi Police on Monday arrested Srinivas Lewis, the alleged mastermind behind a series of fake bomb threats that triggered panic across the country, from Mysuru in Karnataka.

Officials said the Mumbai Police will soon take custody of the accused for further interrogation.

Investigators suspect that the same individual could also be responsible for over 100 threatening emails reported in Mumbai and nearby areas over the past three years.

According to officials, Srinivas Lewis was apprehended during a joint operation by the Delhi Police in Mysuru.

Preliminary findings indicate that he repeatedly sent hoax bomb threats to sensitive locations such as schools, High Courts, Legislative Assemblies, and various government offices, forcing security agencies to issue alerts and leading to widespread disruption and panic.

Mumbai Police officials confirmed that they are in touch with their Delhi counterparts and are currently analysing the accused's past email activity, including patterns, linguistic style, and digital footprints.

A senior official said that if a concrete connection is established, the accused will be brought to Mumbai for detailed questioning.

Investigators noted that since 2023, a serial email threat sender had been active in Mumbai, often claiming that RDX-based improvised explosive devices had been planted.

These threats led to multiple evacuations of government offices and financial institutions, though all alerts later turned out to be hoaxes.

On March 18, an email was sent to the Regional Passport Office at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, warning that 19 cyanide gas bombs had been planted and would explode at 1:30 pm.

In another incident in May 2025, the Palghar Collector's office received a threat warning of an RDX attack.

Officials said such emails frequently included conspiracy narratives and attempted to mislead investigators by referencing names of South Indian politicians, actors, and YouTubers.

The probe has further revealed that the accused allegedly used multiple digital identities and spoofed email addresses to conceal his identity.

Cyber teams are currently examining email headers, IP logs, and routing data to establish whether there is a direct link between the Mumbai threats and the arrested individual.

Police officials believe the accused deliberately targeted high-profile institutions to maximise fear and disruption.

Preliminary assessments have also raised the possibility that he may have been suffering from mental distress, although authorities emphasised that the investigation remains ongoing and all angles are being examined.

Further details are awaited.

--IANS

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