Former Maharashtra health minister and Shiv Sena leader Tanaji Sawant’s son has gone missing from Pune airport. Singhgad Road police station has registered a kidnapping complaint, and the investigation is underway.
Rishiraj Sawant, 32, left for the airport in a Swift car around 4:57 p.m. from the Narhe area. Shortly after, reports emerged that he had gone missing. An anonymous call was also made to the Pune police control room, claiming he had been taken away by unidentified persons.
Following the incident, Tanaji Sawant rushed to the Pune police commissioner’s office. Later, Joint Commissioner of Police Ranjan Kumar Sharma addressed the media.
“We have registered a case of kidnapping at Sinhgad Road police station and handed the investigation to the crime branch,” Sharma said. When asked about his destination, he said efforts were underway to find out.
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However, Tanaji Sawant dismissed claims of a kidnapping, saying his son was with two friends. However, he expressed concern over Rushiraj leaving without informing the family.
"My son is neither missing nor kidnapped. He is with two of his friends. In our family, we always inform each other about where we are going. Even if he is going somewhere nearby, he always tells me. This time, the three of them left in another car without informing anyone, which made me anxious," Tanaji Sawant said.
"We usually call each other at least 15 to 20 times a day, but today, there were no calls. I became worried when I found out he had suddenly gone to the airport. That is why I contacted the police. Now, we have received information that he left by flight. The police are trying to find out where he landed," he added.
"The driver who dropped him and his friends at the airport returned and confirmed that he left them there. However, we still do not know exactly where they went," Sawant said.