Bengaluru: Ex-TCS employee who made hoax bomb threat to company arrested, says report

A 26-year-old former employee of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), who was accused of sending bomb threats to the IT major's Bengaluru office, was finally arrested by the city police. 

The accused, identified as B Shruthi Shetty, had been working with TCS for a few months and had quit her job to pursue MBA in 2017. However, she learnt that TCS is not going to rehire her again. She was reportedly upset about that and decided to get back at the company by making the hoax call.

Bengaluru Police apprehended B Shruthi Shetty from her home in Belagavi on November 15, following a hoax bomb threat she made to her former employer, TCS. According to a report by The Indian Express, on November 14, Shetty contacted TCS's transport helpdesk claiming a bomb was placed within the office premises. 

The call caused panic among the employees, and the police were immediately alerted. Raju Chetry, assistant security officer, alerted the police when the threat was revealed to be a hoax and a subsequent investigation was launched. 

On interrogation, police discovered that Shetty, a BBM graduate who had resigned from her position at TCS in 2017 to pursue an MBA, was resentful that the company refused to rehire her. In fact, she applied to various organisations but was unsuccessful in finding work.

The drunk woman dialled a company bus driver, whom she had established rapport with during her tenure, to relay the threat. It is reported that the hoax call was made by her mother's mobile phone. Since this alcohol triggered episode, Shetty has been released on bail. Her parents revealed that she has been grappling with depression and that is the reason behind this act.

Hoax bomb calls are a serious crime, and they can have a devastating impact on businesses and communities. They can cause panic and fear, and they can also lead to the disruption of business operations and the loss of valuable time and resources.

Also Read: ‘Don’t take gossip as gospel’: GEC co-founder on Ray Dalio book; author Rob Copeland responds