Bhubaneswar, Aug 7: The investigation into the series of bomb threat emails sent to the Orissa High Court has gained fresh momentum, with the Commissionerate Police exploring a possible connection to a software engineer arrested by the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in a similar case involving threatening emails to institutions across the country.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs regarding the suspected origin of the emails, a team from the Cuttack Police travelled to Tamil Nadu to gather evidence and coordinate with the state’s investigating agencies. The team has now returned after completing its preliminary inquiry.
The visit was aimed at verifying the possible involvement of Sharath Subramanyam Shankar, who was arrested by the Tamil Nadu ATS at Chennai airport on July 22. Shankar is accused of sending bomb threat emails to educational institutions and other establishments in multiple states, triggering widespread panic.
As the accused is currently lodged in a Tamil Nadu jail, the Odisha police team was unable to question him directly. However, investigators shared all relevant evidence and technical inputs related to the Orissa High Court bomb threat case with the Tamil Nadu Police and ATS to facilitate a coordinated investigation.
Police sources said investigators are examining whether Shankar has any link to the threatening emails received by the High Court. If evidence establishes a connection, the Commissionerate Police may seek his remand for custodial interrogation.
Shankar, a native of Ambasamudram in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli district, had been working as a software engineer in Texas, United States. He was arrested upon his arrival at Chennai airport after a Look-Out Circular was issued against him. Investigations into several bomb threat cases registered against him in different states are continuing, while the Orissa High Court email threat probe also remains underway.
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