Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Jul 11: A bomb threat targeting Delhi's Red Fort was declared a hoax on Saturday after security agencies carried out investigations following an alert received through the Mumbai Police control room.

According to Delhi Police, the Mumbai Police control room received a call threatening to blow up the Red Fort and immediately shared the information with the Delhi Police control room. The alert was subsequently forwarded to the North District Police for verification.

"A call was received at Mumbai Police control room threatening to blow up Red Fort in Delhi. The information was shared by Mumbai Police control room with Delhi Police control room. The information was then received by North District Police in Delhi and upon investigation, it was found to be a hoax call," Delhi Police said.

Earlier in the day, the Red Fort and the Delhi Secretariat also received bomb threats, prompting security agencies to launch extensive search operations.

According to the Delhi Fire Service, the Delhi Secretariat received a bomb threat through email.

"The fire department received the call at 12 noon, after which teams were sent to the spot. Nothing has been found yet," officials said.

Bomb threat emails were also received at two schools in the national capital, leading to immediate searches by police, bomb disposal squads and other security personnel.

The Delhi Fire Service said thorough searches were conducted at both school premises, but no suspicious objects were found.

Meanwhile, in a separate development related to last year's Red Fort area car bomb explosion, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this week submitted a forensic report before a special court.

According to court sources, the report was filed before Special Judge Pitambar Dutt, who will examine it before issuing further directions. The court also extended the judicial custody of nine accused until Jul 13.

On May 14, the NIA filed a 7,500-page chargesheet in connection with the high-intensity vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) blast that struck the national capital on Nov 10 last year, killing 11 people.

Last month, the agency filed a supplementary chargesheet against three more persons, including an absconding paediatrician alleged to be a founding member of a terror module, for their alleged involvement in the attack.

With the supplementary chargesheet, the total number of accused in the case has risen to 13, including the prime accused, Dr Umer Un Nabi, who was driving the explosives-laden vehicle and was killed in the blast.