Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Tuesday received a bomb threat by email, following which security agencies were alerted and necessary checks were initiated. The threatening email was sent to the Speaker's official email address at around 8:39 am and reportedly threatened to blow up the Assembly building with a bomb.
A Delhi Police team reached the Assembly premises and conducted a security inspection. After an extensive search, nothing suspicious was found.
According to preliminary information, the threat email was allegedly sent by a Khalistani organisation. Further investigation is underway.
Similar threats received in March
This is not the first time the Delhi Assembly and the Speaker have received bomb threats. Earlier in March this year, the Legislative Assembly and its Speaker had received fresh threats via email, warning of a potential bombing at the Assembly premises.
The threatening emails were sent, with one reaching the Speaker's account at 7:49 AM and another to the Assembly's official email account at 7:28 AM. The emails mentioned several leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Sandhu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.
The secretariat and the speaker's office received approximately six to seven threatening emails during the budget session.
Z-category security cover for Vijender Gupta
Gupta's was granted Z-category security cover following a series of bomb threat emails received by the Delhi Assembly. The decision comes in the wake of multiple targeted threats and a recent high-profile security breach, according to the Assembly Secretariat.
Under the enhanced Z-category security arrangement, Gupta received round-the-clock protection from a specialised security team, along with a dedicated escort vehicle. The Z category security cover comprises around 22 personnel, including personal security officers (PSOs), escorts, surveillance staff and around eight static armed guards.
In a separate incident in April, a man reportedly drove his vehicle into the Assembly premises by breaching the boundary gate, placed a bouquet and garland near the Speaker’s office, and then left.
The car, bearing a UP registration number, entered the Assembly premises after breaking through Gate No. 2 at around 2 pm. Since it is not the main gate, security was relatively less around it when the House is not in session.
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