The Mumbai Crime Branch has taken into custody a 19-year-old student from Pune who stands accused of issuing death threats to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his son, MP Shrikant Shinde, through social media channels. The arrest was made known by Mumbai Police on Saturday.
Identified as Shubham Warkad, the accused hails from Nanded district and is a first-year student in Pune, according to Mumbai Police sources.
“The Mumbai Crime Branch apprehended 19-year-old student Shubham Warkad, who had posted death threats targeting Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and MP Shrikant Shinde on the social media platform X, in Pune on Friday,” stated the police.
“The complaint outlined that the accused had made death threats against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his son Shrikant Shinde on social media on February 11,” elaborated the police.
Upon noticing the threatening post on X, the Mumbai Police swiftly launched an investigation to locate the accused, who had openly published the threats. Acting on the information gathered, the Mumbai Crime Branch identified the IP address associated with the accused’s Gmail ID, mobile number, and location. Subsequently, a team from the Crime Investigation Department was dispatched to Pune, leading to the arrest of Warkad.
“We have registered a case against the accused under sections 506(2) and 505(1)(B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), arrested him, and initiated an investigation,” stated the police.
The police also added that they are delving into the “motive behind the threat.”
Further updates and details on this incident are eagerly awaited as the investigation progresses.