Who is Jagdish Uikey, the man who sent around 100 fake bomb threats and has now been arrested? – First post

After a nearly two-week manhunt, Nagpur police have arrested a man believed to be behind the recent spate of hoax bomb threats on more than a hundred Indian airline flights.

The person, identified as Jagdish Shriram Uikey, is accused of sending over 354 fraudulent emails. These emails not only targeted flights and trains across the country but also contained threats against the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), top government officials and several crucial institutions.

Who is Jagdish Uikey, and how did he manage to threaten the authorities on such a large scale? Here’s a closer look.

Who is Jagadish Uikey?

Jagdish Uikey is a 35-year-old writer from Arjuni Morgaon in the Maoist-hit Gondia district of eastern Maharashtra.

Nagpur Police DCP Lohit Matani revealed to The times of India that Uikey, who studied only up to class 11, is the author of a book on terrorism titled ‘Atankwad-Ek Tufaani Rakshash (Terrorism: A Demonic Storm)’.

According to Uikey, his book, which is available for Rs 350 on Amazon, “puts before you all the truths of terrorism and provides secret information about terrorism that no country or author has revealed to the world before.” He also claims that he donates 50 percent of his book earnings “for the good of the country.”

Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal said TOIthat Uikey’s motivations were not related to actual terrorism, but were instead a publicity stunt aimed at attracting attention.

“At first glance, he appeared to be hounding PMO and others to get his book published with repeated emails, but later he switched to sending fake emails out of frustration,” he said.

What was in his emails?

Starting in January, Uikey is said to have sent numerous emails warning of bombs placed in various locations, with the threat of looming explosions. Between October 25 and 30 alone, he claimed that 30 locations across India were at risk.

His emails contained threats against prominent political figures and government officials, including Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. According to India todayUikey requested meetings with the officials to share “critical information” on security threats.

Authorities have identified 354 emails in the “sent” folder of Uikey’s Gmail account. A clear pattern emerged in his email activities, including one sent to Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis in October in which he falsely claimed knowledge of a ‘secret terror code’, 25-MBA-5 -MTR.

One of his emails threatened to hijack 31 flights of major airlines such as IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet and Air India. He also claimed that six airports across India were targeted by the terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, prompting authorities to strengthen security measures and put the CISF on high alert.

In his latest emails, Uikey warned of “sleeper cell activities in India,” regularly aligning his threats with similar warnings from American sources. The police told me TOI that they are investigating the possibility that he borrowed language from American sources.

This isn’t Uikey’s first run-in with the law. Police revealed that he had been questioned twice in 2021: once for sending inappropriate emails and another time for filing a complaint linking job seekers to the PMO. After these incidents, he reportedly left Maharashtra and moved to Delhi, from where he made his recent threats. India Times.

Also read:
How a 17-year-old’s plan to get revenge on a friend led to bomb threats on flights

How did the authorities track Uikey?

Investigators, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Shweta Khedkar, traced Jagdish Uikey through the emails he had sent to various offices. According to police, an internet protocol (IP) address linked to an email sent to a central minister, as shared by Google, confirmed Uikey as the sender.

The investigation further revealed that the SIM card in his mobile phone was registered in his name with his Arjuni Morgaon address mentioned.

On his return from Delhi, Uikey was arrested by Nagpur police. The investigation into his digital activities and communication patterns is ongoing, with authorities examining his devices and any cybercafe terminals he may have used to send the threatening emails.

“We scan his call records and laptops. His bank accounts and cash flows are also being monitored,” said police commissioner Ravinder Singal TOI.

Uikey’s remand is currently in police custody and is expected to be extended. Authorities also plan to conduct psychological evaluations to better understand his actions and possible motivations.

With input from agencies