Chennai: For nearly three years, from 2023 to 2025, every anonymous bomb threat email triggered the same response: flights were screened, campuses evacuated, and bomb squads rushed in. Each alert, however, turned out to be a hoax.On Wednesday, the Tamil Nadu Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) ended the years-long cat-and-mouse game.They detained a US-based software engineer behind the more than 1,500 hoax bomb threat emails that kept security agencies across India on edge, at Chennai airport. Police said the breakthrough came during an investigation led by superintendent of police I Shanaz, who was then serving in the Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing. Investigators traced the suspect after he inadvertently replied to one of the threat emails using his personal email account.That digital trail enabled officers to identify him despite the use of anonymising technologies.The suspect, identified as Sarath Subramanian Shankar, is a native of Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district. He has been living in Austin, Texas, where he worked for a software company. The immigration officials detained him upon arriving in Chennai on an Etihad Airways flight. An ATS team led by additional superintendent of police Purushothaman and deputy superintendent of police Reboni took him into custody for questioning.Police said Sarath was wanted in connection with more than 100 criminal cases registered across Tamil Nadu. Investigators said he sent anonymous bomb threat emails targeting commercial flights, schools, colleges, including Anna University, politicians, senior police officers, retired Intelligence bureau officials and other public figures.According to investigators, the accused used encrypted communication services, virtual private networks and dark web infrastructure to conceal his identity and route emails through overseas servers, making the investigation complex.Officials said the ATS registered 33 cases directly, while more than 100 cases relating to the hoax emails were registered by various police units, including city police, the Cyber Crime Wing and other investigating agencies.The accused was handed over to the Fort police station, and he was remanded in judicial custody.
