Two suspects from Gujarat nabbed for bomb threat to Mumbai luxury hotel

Police had registered a case under sections 336(putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 507(criminal Intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the IPC.

Two suspects were arrested from Vapi in Gujarat's Valsad district for threatening to blow up a hotel in Mumbai and demanding ₹5 crore to defuse them.

The luxury hotel is located in Mumbai suburb of Andheri and its staff had registered an FIR against the then unidentified caller at the Sahar police station.(iStock)

The incident took place on August 22 when 'The Lalit' luxury hotel received a bomb threat and was told that the bombs have been kept at four places in the hotel.

Police had registered a case under sections 336(putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 507(criminal Intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

The two detained suspects have been brought to Mumbai and will be presented before a local court on Thursday, the Mumbai Police said.

The luxury hotel is located in the Mumbai suburb of Andheri and its staff had registered an FIR (first information report) against the then unidentified caller at the Sahar police station.

The Mumbai Police identified the arrested accused as Vikram Singh and Ishu Singh. Investigation revealed Vikram Singh worked as a spot boy in the Bollywood and was once deployed at the hotel for some work. He saw the hotel inside out and decided to make an extortion call to the establishment. Vikram Singh got the hotel's phone number after an online search and made the threat call on Monday evening, said the official.

Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) will also be added to the FIR, according to reports. A police officers said both the accused made the plan to earn quick money as their financial condition is not good.

A Special Operations Group of the Valsad Police helped their Mumbai counterpart in nabbing the duo, said Valsad SOG sub-inspector LG Rathod. “The duo had asked the hotel manager to come to Surat with the money. After getting a complaint from the hotel, a Mumbai Police team came to Vapi and detained both the accused with our help," he added.