Mumbai, India

The Mumbai Police said on Tuesday (Dec 26) that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and other banks, including the HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank in the city, received a bomb threat. In an email, the sender said bombs were planted at 11 different locations across Mumbai. 

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The ominous threat explicitly demanded the resignation of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and RBI governor Shaktikanta Das, setting a deadline for compliance.

Describing their alleged involvement in the "biggest scam in the history of India," the sender claimed to possess substantial evidence to substantiate these accusations.

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Specific targets and timeline

The threat outlined specific targets, including the RBI New Central Office Building in Fort, HDFC House at Churchgate, and ICICI Bank Towers at Bandra Kurla Complex.

The sender asserted that unless the stipulated resignations were tendered by 1:30 pm, 11 hidden bombs would detonate across the mentioned locations, triggering a potential catastrophe.

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Mumbai Police swiftly initiated a comprehensive search operation across all locations mentioned in the threatening email. Despite the urgency of the situation, no explosives or suspicious objects were discovered during the thorough sweep.

Law enforcement also registered a criminal intimidation case, acknowledging the severity of the threat. Investigations are now underway to trace the origin of the email and unravel the motive behind the ominous threat. 

In response to the potential threat, the police have heightened security measures around the implicated banks and the RBI office. 

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As of now, neither the RBI nor the private banks implicated in the threat have issued official statements regarding the email. The silence from these financial institutions adds an element of uncertainty to the situation.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and RBI governor Shaktikanta Das have yet to respond to the demand for their resignation. 

(With inputs from agencies)