On Wednesday (3rd January), two individuals were apprehended for issuing bomb threats targeting the Shri Ram Temple, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and the chief of the UP Police Special Task Force (STF). It was discovered that Devendra Tiwari, the head of NGOs named Bharatiya Kisan Manch and Bharatiya Gau Seva Parishad, masterminded the plot.
Tiwari allegedly orchestrated these threats to enhance his security and political stature. He reportedly directed his employees to send these menacing emails through fake IDs. The STF successfully detained the culprits, Tahar Singh and Om Prakash Mishra, while the man behind the conspiracy, Devendra Tiwari, remains at large.
According to a press release by the UP Police STF, on 27th December, information was given to the office of the Director-General of Police to the control room at the Special Task Force (STF) headquarters. The alert was regarding a tweet from the Twitter handle @iDevendraOffice, which disclosed that one alleged ISI agent Zubair Khan had sent an email to Devendra Tiwari. The content of this email was alarming, as it contained threats of bombing directed at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, STF Chief Amitabh Yash, Devendra Nath Tiwari, and the revered Shri Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
हिंदुत्व व सनातन पर फिर से प्रहार
— Devendra Tiwari (@iDevendraBKM) November 20, 2023
गौ सेवक मर मिटेंगे लेकिन झुकेंगे नहीं,
एक बार फिर डरपोक एवं कायरो का धमकी भरा पत्र मिला है. प्रदेश के मुख्यमंत्री एवं मुझे जान से मारने की धमकी दी गयी है। प्रथम सूचना दर्ज कर कार्रवाई की जाए @aajtak @AmitShah @bstvlive @myogiadityanath… pic.twitter.com/3Zcvq72CIZ
Following directives from higher authorities, Deputy Superintendent of Police Pramesh Kumar Shukla of the UP Special Task Force spearheaded the investigation. The probe soon uncovered that cases had been filed at the Alambagh and Sushant Golf City police stations in Lucknow. These cases were registered under severe sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Information Technology (IT) Act.
Further investigation brought to light that the email addresses [email protected] and [email protected] were used to convey the threats. Subsequently, two individuals were apprehended: Tahar Singh, son of Prithvi Raj Singh from Gonda, identified as the creator of one of the email IDs, and Om Prakash Mishra, son of Bharat Bhuwal Mishra from Gonda, who was responsible for sending the threatening email.
During interrogation, the apprehended suspects revealed key information about Devendra Tiwari. They disclosed that Tiwari resides in Lucknow. Tiwari is known for running NGOs like the Bharatiya Kisan Manch and Bharatiya Gau Sewa Parishad. Furthermore, he has been implicated in multiple cases at various police stations, including Manaknagar, Ashiyana, Banthra, Gautampalli, and Alambagh.
The suspects also informed that Devendra Tiwari owns the Indian Institute of Paramedical Sciences, located in Alambagh, where he has established his office. Tahar Singh, one of the arrested individuals, worked as the social media handler, while Om Prakash Mishra, the other detainee, served as Tiwari’s secretary in the same office. Additionally, Om Prakash is pursuing a 2-year Diploma in Optometry from the same institute.
Acting under Devendra Tiwari’s instructions, Tahar Singh created a bogus email ID specifically for sending the threats, as per the police statement. The details of this email ID and its password were then communicated to Omprakash Mishra via WhatsApp. Following Tiwari’s orders, two mobile phones were procured from Aman Mobile Center in Naka, Lucknow, which were then used for sending threatening emails.
The threat’s content was first scanned and then uploaded onto Devendra Tiwari’s mobile phone using Google Lens on the mobile phone designated for sending out the threats. These threatening emails were sent on two occasions, first on 19th November 2023, and later on 27th December 2023. The recipients of these emails were the same addresses that Devendra Tiwari had previously shared through his Twitter account.
After sending the emails, Devendra Tiwari eliminated evidence by burning and destroying the mobile phone used in the crime. The emails were sent using the internet connection provided by a WiFi router installed in his office. During the interrogation, the accused disclosed that Tiwari had convinced them of significant benefits from this scheme. He purported that such actions would not only garner substantial attention on social media but would also lead to enhanced security measures for them and yield considerable political advantages. The case against the accused is booked under sections 506, 507, 153A, 420, 468, 471, 201, and 120B of the IPC and section 66D of the IT Act.
