A man who posed as an official from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) was arrested in Mumbai after attempting to enter the venue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled event.
The imposter, identified as Rohan Parekh, 24, produced a PMO identity card while trying to enter Jio World Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex on September 7. However, security personnel found it to be fake.
Parekh was accompanied by a bodyguard, from whom a gun was recovered. A case has been registered against the duo at Bandra Kurla Complex police station.
The Crime Branch, which probing the case, is looking into the motive of the suspects and whether the incident has any connection to PM Modi's visit.
Modi is set to inaugurate the Global Fintech Fest at the Jio World Centre on September 8. This year's theme is Potential to Impact: Agentic AI, Tokenisation, Quantum – Trusted, Connected, Global Systems for Inclusive Finance. The seventh edition of the event will conclude on September 11.
While there is no official confirmation regarding any threat to the prime minister, PM Modi has received several threats in the past. In July, PM Modi received an online death threat ahead of his Melbourne visit. Australian Federal Police said the person was formally warned, but clarified that there is no current or impending risk to the community. A spokesperson from the police department said any suspected criminal behaviour including threats and harassment would be taken seriously and investigated.
In December 2024, Mumbai police received a threat message against Modi via WhatsApp. The message sent to the traffic police helpline mentioned two ISI agents and a plot to carry out a bomb blast. The number was later traced to Ajmer and the accused was arrested.
The same month, a Mumbai-based woman, 34, made a similar threat, claiming there was a plot to kill Modi and that a weapon had been readied. She was later arrested and alleged that she made the call after being "frustrated by the administration system".
