Several Detained, Electronic Devices Seized From UP’s Modinagar In Pro-Khalistan Threat Message Case

Several persons have been detained and electronic devices were seized from UP's Modinagar in connection with a bunch of voice messages released allegedly by a pro-Khalistan group.

Gujarat Police has detained several persons and seized electronic devices, and SIM boxes in connection with bulk voice messages released allegedly by a pro-Khalistan group from Uttar Pradesh's Modinagar, reported ANI. The messages threatened to disrupt the 4th Test match between India vs Australia that was being held in Ahmedabad in March and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese were in the town to attend it. 

"During the further investigation into the case, we got info about a similar network and on Saturday with the help of local police, we seized 3 SIM boxes, routers and mobile phones from a house in UP's Modinagar town," ACP Ahmedabad Jitendra Yadav said on Saturday, as quoted by ANI. 

 He added, "We detained those who were present in the house, and they are being interrogated." 

Further probe is underway, Yadav said. 

He mentioned that a case was registered by Cybercrime on March 9, 2023, after several people received auto-recorded calls on March 8 ahead of the visit of PM Modi and the Australian PM for the India-Australia cricket test match.  

"The calls had the voice of terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu. In this, we arrested 2 people from Madhya Pradesh and seized 13 SIM boxes," he said. 

Notably, on March 12, Crime Branch's Cyber Cell unit of Gujarat Police had arrested two persons suspected to be backed by Sikh For Justice (SFJ), a pro-Khalistan group from Madhya Pradesh, that also threatened to disrupt the 4th Test match between India-Australia. 

It is pertinent to note that last month Chaitanya Mandlik, DCP, Crime Branch, said, that the threat was issued using SIM box technology during Prime Minister Modi and Australian PM Albanese's presence in Ahmedabad on March 9 for the cricket match. 

Mandlik said, as quoted by ANI, "Cyber Cell has arrested 2 suspects backed by SFJ, a pro-Khalistan group from MP's Rewa and Satna over threats to disrupt the 4th Test match between India vs Australia. The threat was issued using SIM box technology during PM Modi and the Australian PM's presence in Ahmedabad. Since then Ahmedabad Crime Branch started tracking the location." 

DCP Mandlik further informed that locations were available from different places in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Punjab. 

He added, "Threats were also given by different fake Twitter handles from Pakistan. Finally, illegal exchanges have been caught from Satna and Rewa in Madhya Pradesh."