Who is Jagdish Uikey, the man arrested for sending over 100 fake bomb threats to flights?

After a nearly two-week-long manhunt, Nagpur Police have detained a man believed to be behind the recent spate of hoax bomb threats issued to over 100 flights operated by Indian carriers.

The individual, identified as Jagdish Shriram Uikey, faces allegations of sending more than 354 fraudulent emails. These emails targeted not only flights and trains across the country but also included threats directed at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), top government officials, and various critical establishments.

Who is Jagdish Uikey, and how did he manage to menace authorities on such a large scale? Here’s a closer look.

Jagdish Uikey is a 35-year-old writer from Arjuni Morgaon in the Maoist-affected Gondia district of eastern Maharashtra.

Nagpur Police DCP Lohit Matani revealed to The Times of India that Uikey, who only studied up to Class 11, is the author of a book on terrorism titled ‘Atankwad-Ek Tufaani Rakshash (Terrorism: A Demonic Storm)’.

According to Uikey, his book, available on Amazon for Rs 350, “puts all the truths of terrorism in front of you and provides secret information about terrorism that no country or author has previously revealed to the world.” He also claims to donate 50 per cent of his book earnings “in the interest of the country.”

Police commissioner Ravinder Singal told TOI, that Uikey’s motivations were not linked to actual terrorism but were instead a publicity stunt aimed at gaining attention.

“Prima facie, he seemed to be pursuing PMO and others to get his book published with repeated emails, but later he switched to sending hoax mails in frustration,” he said.

Starting in January, Uikey allegedly sent numerous emails warning of bombs planted in various locations, with threats of imminent explosions. Between October 25 and October 30 alone, he reportedly claimed that 30 locations across India were at risk.

His emails contained threats against prominent political figures and government officials, including Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis. According to India Today, Uikey requested meetings with the officials to share “critical information” about security threats.

Authorities have identified 354 emails in the “sent” folder of Uikey’s Gmail account. A distinct pattern emerged in his email activity, including one sent in October to Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, in which he falsely claimed to possess knowledge of a “secret terror code,” 25-MBA-5-MTR.

One of his emails threatened to hijack 31 flights from major airlines such as IndiGo, Vistara, SpiceJet, and Air India. He also alleged that six airports across India were targeted by the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group, prompting authorities to enhance security measures and put the CISF on high alert.

In his latest emails, Uikey warned about “sleeper cell activities within India,” frequently aligning his threats with similar alerts from US sources. Police told TOI that they are examining the possibility that he may have borrowed language from American sources.

This isn’t Uikey’s first run-in with the law. Police disclosed that he had been interrogated twice in 2021—once for sending inappropriate emails and another time for filing a complaint linking job aspirants to the PMO. After these incidents, he reportedly left Maharashtra and moved to Delhi, from where he issued his recent threats, reported India Times.

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Investigators, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Shweta Khedkar, traced Jagdish Uikey through the emails he had sent to various establishments. According to the police, an internet protocol (IP) address tied to an email sent to a central minister, as shared by Google, confirmed Uikey as the sender.

The investigation further revealed that the SIM card in his mobile phone was registered under his name, with his Arjuni Morgaon address listed.

Upon his return from Delhi, Uikey was arrested by Nagpur Police. The investigation into his digital activities and communication patterns is ongoing, with authorities examining his devices and any cybercafe terminals he may have used to send the threatening emails.

“We are scanning his call detail records and laptops. His bank accounts and monetary trails are also being checked,” Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal told TOI.

Currently in police custody, Uikey’s remand is expected to be extended. Authorities also plan to conduct psychological evaluations to better understand his actions and possible motivations.