Pune Crime Files: Bomb hoaxes, gripe about cops’ ‘plight’, a probe stalled over VPN

3 min readPuneJul 13, 2026 02:02 PM IST

The police and a bomb squad checked the passport office premises thoroughly but could not find anything suspicious. (Representational image)

More than three months after the Regional Passport Office in Baner received two bomb threats by email—one claiming to draw attention to the “humiliation” of constables in Tamil Nadu—the Pune city police have failed to get any clues about their origin because the senders used a virtual private network (VPN) to hide their identities.

As per police records, the first threat message was received on the official email address of the Regional Passport Office at around 10.07 am on February 26. The message sent from [email protected] stated that “Tamil Nadu Constables are being forced to clean their clothes and dirty utensils” of an actress and “concubines” of a political party in the state, due to which “many have experienced humiliation and diarrhoea”.

“Therefore, the former Q branch members of Azad Kashmir Pak ISI cells” operating in Mysuru have targeted the Passport Office “to make a statement against this practice and to implement the recommendations of the Nainar Das Police Union of 1979 in Tamil Nadu for the constables. We have no other way to hear our demands, sorry,” it added.

The email further stated that “19 RDX IEDs made using c-4 RDX” were planted at important places in the passport office and would explode during lunchtime. “….The IED will automatically detonate when the ex-Tamil Nadu policeman-Pakistan ISI members carrying remote control” would trigger it within 100 feet of the premises and “if for some reason, they do not activate, the members themselves will come inside the building and blow themselves up along with all the staff like in the Sri Lankan Easter suicide operation”.

‘Tamil Nadu Retrieval Troops-Khalistan Tigers’

The email also mentioned “Tamil Nadu Retrieval Troops-Khalistan Tigers” along with the name of a Tamil film producer. The police said the email’s content was “irrelevant” and had nothing to do with anybody at the passport office.

The passport office received a second email threat, from [email protected], on March 20. It stated that “19 Cyanide gas bombs were placed in the washroom of the passport office and they would explode at 2.18 pm”.

No bomb recovered

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After receiving the threat emails, the passport office immediately contacted the police, who, along with a bomb detection and disposal squad, checked the premises thoroughly. Nothing suspicious was found, but the bomb hoaxes disturbed work at the passport office.

The police launched an investigation against unidentified people on charges including endangering life or personal safety, criminal intimidation, and statements conducing to public mischief causing fear.

Senior Police Inspector Chandrashekhar Sawant said, “The probe revealed that a VPN was used for sending the bomb hoax messages through emails. There are no clues yet about the accused persons. The probe is underway.”

A police officer said a VPN hides the user’s internet protocol address, making it difficult to trace the location from where they access the internet.

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Jatin Pote, Public Relations Officer at the Regional Passport Office, is the complainant in both cases.

Passport offices at Chennai and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu and in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, also received similar bomb hoaxes this year.

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Chandan Haygunde is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he is one of the region's most authoritative voices on crime, national security, and legal affairs.

Professional Profile

Specialization:

He specialises covering issues related to Crime, Courts, National Security and Human Rights. He has done investigative reporting on incidents of terrorism, left wing extremism, espionage cases, wildlife crimes, narcotics racket, cyber crimes and sensational murder cases in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra. While working on the ‘Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) Fellowship on Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ in 2012, he reported extensively on the illegal activities in the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra. He is at the helm of the widely read weekly series “Pune Crime Files”. He is widely recognized for his deep-dive coverage of the cases related to the Koregaon Bhima violence in Pune and the Elgaar Parishad investigation.

Key Beats:

His portfolio includes covering crimes mainly under the jurisdiction of Pune City, Pune rural and Pimpri Chinchwad Police, along with the sensitive cases from the state, being investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Background:

Before his long tenure at The Indian Express, he worked with other Marathi and English publications, giving him a unique grassroots understanding of Maharashtra's socio-political landscape.

Awards and Recognition:

He got the CMS PANOS Young Environment Journalist Award in January 2014 for investigative reports on illegal activities in Sahyadri Tiger Rerserve.

He received the award for outstanding investigative journalism by the Lokmat group in Pune in January 2020, “Missing since 2010, Pune youth a ‘Maoist Commander’ in Chhattisgarh”, which appeared on July 9, 2019.

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)

In recent months, Chandan’s reporting has focused on high-profile terror case investigations, inter-state firearms racket, leopard movements in Pune city, cyber scams and hearings of the Koregaon Bhima Commission of Inquiry.

1. High-Profile crimes and terrorism cases

“Techie linked to Al-Qaeda preached democracy is against Shariat” (Nov 17, 2025).

Reporting on the ongoing investigation into the arrest of IT professional Zubair Hangargekar (37) from Pune for alleged terror links.

“The case against Jyoti Jagtap, member of ‘Maoist front’ Kabir Kala Manch and Elgaar Parishad organiser, granted interim bail by apex court” (Nov 20, 2025)

Tracking the updates in the high profile Elgaar Parishad case related to the alleged naxal activities in urban areas.

“How NIA arrested doctor turned ‘ISIS recruiter’ in Maharashtra terror module case” (Nov 24, 2025)

After the arrest of doctors in Delhi Red Fort blast, a report on alleged terror links of a consulting anaesthetist from a Pune hospital.

“A year after loco pilot averts tragedy by spotting gas cylinder on railway track, probe still inconclusive” (Dec 8, 2025).

Report on the unsolved case of a suspected sabotage incident, which could have derailed a train.

“No records of Sambhaji Maharaj’s cremation available: Author, ex-IAS officer Vishwas Patil tells Koregaon Bhima panel” (Dec 1, 2025)

Reporting on a sensitive issue related to the Koregaon Bhima violence.

2. Inter-state firearms racket

"Pune police swoop down on ‘village of pistols’ in Madhya Pradesh; 36 detained, 50 kilns destroyed" (Nov 22, 2025)

"Recce a week before, microplanning: how Pune police raided ‘village of pistols’ in MP" (Nov 24, 2025)

Reporting on the illegal gun manufacturing units in Umarti village, Madhya Pradesh

3. Cybercrime & Financial Scams

“Pimpri Chinchwad police arrest ‘bank account supplier’ with links to China, nationwide cyber scams" (Nov 27, 2025)

An investigative look at the modus opernadi of international cyber-gangs cheating high-earning professionals across the country

‘Your case linked to Pahalgam terrorist’: Pune businessman loses Rs 1.44 crore to fraudster posing as NIA chief" (Oct 18, 2025)

Report on the tricks played on cyber scammers cheating people through digital arrest frauds

Signature Style: The Investigative Hit

Chandan is known for his ability to cultivate deep-cover sources within the police and intelligence agencies. His writing often goes beyond the "police version" of events, providing historical context and identifying systemic lapses. He is particularly respected for his balanced reporting on sensitive communal issues and his persistent tracking of the Maoist urban-link cases, making his columns essential reading for legal experts and policymakers.

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bomb hoax

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Pune Crime Files