New Delhi: Momentary panic gripped Delhi High Court on Friday when a bomb threat sent on email led to the evacuation and sanitisation of the premises. Several judges conducting proceedings had to leave mid-hearing, leaving the lawyers and litigants puzzled as matters were adjourned without explanation.The email, received in the morning by court staff, claimed that some operatives had “successfully made links with Pakistan’s ISI cells in Coimbatore” and threatened to “recreate the 1998 blasts”. It made references to political figures and threatened that “heirs” of certain parties would be “eliminated” so that only “dedicated secularists” could rise to power. The message also warned that “today’s blast in your high court will clear the doubt of previous bluffs” and that a judge’s chamber would detonate “shortly after mid-day prayers”. It asked everyone to vacate the complex by 2pm.Only last week, the bench and bar of the high court had both offered tributes in remembrance of the 15 people who were killed in the terrorist attack on the court complex between Gate No. 7 and Gate No. 5 on Sept 7, 2011.Both police and the fire service were alerted. Delhi Fire Services received a call about the threat at 12.25pm and immediately dispatched two fire tenders to assist in the response to the threat. Likewise, as soon as the threat was reported, police initiated action as per the established standard operating procedures. Bomb detection and disposal teams conducted thorough checks of the premises while appropriate measures were taken to ensure the safety and security of all present.Dog squads also fanned across the court premises, while ambulances were stationed nearby to address any emergency. The entire area was subjected to layered sweeps in coordination with local police and specialised bomb detection teams.After the high drama that led to the evacuation of judges and litigants from courtrooms as a result of a bomb threat email, Delhi Police declared it a hoax. The commotion began after the registrar general received an email at around 8.39am, warning of explosions in judges’ chambers and courtrooms around midday.Sources said as soon as the administration became aware of the email threat, it followed the standard operating procedure and began the evacuation and screening of each building, block by block. Meanwhile, the information prompted the court staff to alert the judges even when proceedings were under way. Several judges left their courtrooms at around 11.35am though others continued until noon before the rising of the court.N Hariharan, president of the Delhi High Court Bar Association said, “We went from room to room and saw to it that all the lawyers, litigants and clients had vacated the buildings. We have a huge court complex. But every building was sanitised by the security and fire personnel.”Before police confirmed it was a false alarm, Hariharan said it did appear to be a hoax call. “But remember, it was only a few days ago that we held a memorial service for all those persons we lost on Sept 7, 2011. This threat was very close to that date, so it gave us jitters about the possibility of anything happening,” he said. “All lawyers and litigants cooperated in vacating the buildings and creating space for the authorities to check and sanitise and check.”
