Pune Crime: Son Of Former Health Minister Tanaji Sawant Kidnapped From Sinhagad Road Area

Police registered a kidnapping case after former Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant's son went missing from the Pune airport on Monday evening, a senior official said.

The Pune police control room received an anonymous call at around 4pm claiming Rishiraj Sawant, the 32-year-old son of the Shiv Sena politician, was kidnapped by unidentified people, he said.

Ranjan Kumar Sharma, joint commissioner of police, said they received information that Rishiraj Sawant had boarded a flight from the airport in the Lohegaon area.

"We have registered a case of kidnapping with the Sinhgad Road police station and the investigation has been handed over to the crime branch," he said.

Asked where the politician's son was headed, the IPS officer maintained efforts were on find out his destination.

Family says THIS

Former minister Sawant, who reached the Pune commissioner's office, however, discounted the possibility of kidnapping and asserted his son was with his friends.

"We are just worried because he left for the airport without informing me or my elder son," Tanaji Sawant said.

The Shiv Sena leader said he made a call to the police after coming to know his son had left for the airport in someone else's car.

Asked if Rishiraj Sawant had boarded a chartered or a regular commercial flight, Tanaji Sawant said they were gathering details.