Man held for threatening to kill Narendra Modi

City crime branch sleuths on Monday arrested a 25-year-old man who had allegedly sent text messages to the police control room and threatened to eliminate prime minister Narendra Modi. The police claimed that the accused is a habitual offender and have made similar bogus threats in the past.

The arrested person has been identified as Satyaprakash Kalwani, a resident of Bhayander.

According to joint commissioner of police, crime, Atulchandra Kulkarni, around 4.35pm on Sunday, the Grievance SMS Cell (CGSC) office at the police commissioner's office had received an SMS from an unknown number. The sender had texted "I will conduct blast in Mumbai and would also kill PM Narendra Modi." At CGSC, the police department has provided two mobile numbers for citizens on which they can text their grievances and the police would then take action.

A case was then registered at Azad Maidan police station under sections 505 (2) (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes) and 507 (Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication) of the Indian Penal Code against an unknown person.

Subsequently, a trap was laid by the police and the suspect was apprehended. "We have seized the mobile phone and SIM card used to send the threat SMS. Investigation revealed that the accused had on three earlier occasions sent threat messages to conduct blasts and cases have been registered against him at Azad Maidan and Navghar police stations," said senior inspector Deepak Phatangre.