Chennai Techie Arrested for Hoax Bomb Threats Across 11 States

A 30-year-old robotics engineer from Chennai has been arrested for sending hoax bomb threats across 11 states, including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. The accused, Rene Joshlida, created hundreds of fake email IDs, used virtual private networks (VPNs), and the dark web to stay under the radar for months. Her elaborate scheme was an attempt to frame a former colleague, Divij Prabhakar, who did not reciprocate her romantic feelings.

Rene Joshlida is a senior consultant at Deloitte in Chennai. She met Divij Prabhakar during a project in Bengaluru and fell in love with him. However, Divij did not return her feelings and married someone else in February this year. Enraged by the rejection, Rene devised a revenge plan. She created several fake email accounts using variations of Divij Prabhakar’s name and began sending bomb threats to schools, hospitals, and public venues, attempting to frame him.

Police investigations revealed that Rene had a history of creating fake email accounts to harass any woman who showed interest in Divij. In one instance, she harassed a female colleague so intensely that the woman quit her job.

Rene’s threats did not stop there. She also claimed responsibility for the recent Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed at least 274 people. She sent a hoax email to the BJ Medical College administration, stating, “I think now you know power. Like we sent you mail yesterday, we crashed the Air India plane with our former CM (Vijay Rupani). We know the police would have thought that the plane crash was a hoax and ignored it. Well done to our pilot. Now you know we are not playing. Now you know.”

Using her technical expertise, Rene sent hoax bomb threats to 21 spots in and around Ahmedabad, including the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, the Geneva Liberal School in Sarkhej, and a civil hospital. Her threats extended to 11 states, including Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Bihar, Telangana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana.

Rene Joshlida bought at least 80 phone numbers through VPNs and sent hundreds of fake emails. She used the Tor browser and the dark web to hide her digital trail. However, a single digital error led to her arrest. According to Joint CP (Crime) Ahmedabad Sharad Singhal, Rene logged into her real and fake email accounts from the same device on one occasion, revealing her IP address. “That one careless login gave her away,” a police officer stated.

Rene’s actions have raised concerns about the potential misuse of technology and the importance of cybersecurity measures. Her arrest highlights the need for robust digital forensics and the vigilance of law enforcement agencies in tracking down cybercriminals.