▁Sof ia , ▁the ▁Guard ▁Division ▁and ▁the ▁First ▁Army ▁headquarters ▁in ▁Sof ia ▁as ▁a ▁show ▁of ▁force ▁against ▁the ▁party ▁leadership . ▁ ▁Disc overy ▁of ▁the ▁plot ▁The ▁consp ir ators ▁ar oused ▁susp icion ▁and ▁a ▁counter - int elligence ▁operation ▁carried ▁out ▁between ▁ 2 8 ▁March ▁and ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 5 ▁un cover ed ▁the ▁scheme ▁and ▁arrested ▁those ▁involved . ▁Some ▁sources ▁say ▁that ▁the ▁leaders ▁of ▁the ▁plot ▁were ▁being ▁sp ied ▁on ▁even ▁before ▁ 1 9 6 4 ▁because ▁they ▁were ▁not ▁fully ▁trust ed ▁by ▁the ▁party ▁leadership . ▁The ▁first ▁arrested ▁was ▁General ▁A ne v ▁on ▁ 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁Following ▁his ▁arrest ▁the ▁coup ▁leader , ▁Tod or ov - G or un ia , ▁committed ▁suic ide ▁at ▁home . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁April ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁plot ters ▁were ▁arrested . ▁N ine ▁of ▁them ▁were ▁court ▁mart ia led ▁and ▁were ▁given ▁sentences ▁varying ▁from ▁ 8 ▁to ▁ 1 5 ▁years , ▁and ▁another ▁ 1 9 2 ▁people ▁were ▁given ▁administrative ▁pen alt ies . ▁ ▁Dom estic ▁response ▁Rum ors ▁spread ▁throughout ▁Sof ia ▁about ▁the ▁suic ide ▁of ▁a ▁high - rank ed ▁party ▁official ▁and ▁about ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁a ▁plot ▁against ▁the ▁current ▁leadership . ▁The ▁state - control led ▁media , ▁however , ▁den ounced ▁all ▁rum ors ▁as ▁" f ant astic ▁fabric ations ▁and ▁mal