A major revelation has emerged in the investigation into the bomb threat emails sent on Thursday to several key institutions in Mumbai, including the state legislature complex (Vidhan Bhavan), the Bombay Stock Exchange, and the Bombay High Court. According to sources, the preliminary probe by the Mumbai Crime Branch has found that the unidentified accused used a Bangladesh-based IP address along with a VPN network to send the threatening email.
However, investigators have not yet been able to determine the actual location from where the email was sent. Probe agencies are continuing their efforts to trace the real source.
During the investigation, it was also revealed that unlike previous incidents where Proton Mail was used, the accused this time used Gmail, the email platform operated by Google, to send the threat message. The Crime Branch has approached Google and sought technical details related to the email ID used to send the threat, hoping to obtain concrete leads to identify the accused.
Sources said that technical analysis so far indicates strong evidence that a Bangladesh-based IP address was used. However, since the accused relied on a VPN network, the location from where the email was sent appears to be constantly changing.
Because of this, investigators have traced locations not only in Bangladesh but also in the California, United States, and Thailand at different times during the probe. The frequent change in location has made it difficult for investigators to identify the actual source of the email.
Technical analysis has also indicated that the threatening email was sent using a mobile device. However, since the accused used a VPN network through the mobile device, the real identity and location of the sender remain concealed, making the investigation more complex.
A Crime Branch official said that companies providing VPN services abroad often delay sharing information with investigating agencies or sometimes refuse to cooperate. In such circumstances, investigators may face difficulties in obtaining details from the VPN service provider in this case as well.
Despite these challenges, teams of the Mumbai Crime Branch are continuing efforts to gather technical evidence and track down the person responsible for sending the threat emails.