Pune: The Crime Branch of Pune Police successfully traced missing businessman Gautam Vishwanand Pashankar (65) at a hotel in Jaipur. A team of police personnel from Unit I of the Crime Branch of Pune police has taken him in custody. The process of getting him back to Pune is going on, informed Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Bacchan Singh.
Gautam Pashankar is Managing Director of Pashankar Auto and Pashankar Group. He was missing since last October 24 evening. Before his mysterious disappearance, Pashankar had handed over an envelope to his driver to be delivered to his family. A letter in the envelope said that he is completing suicide due to financial loss and stress. Pashankar's son Kapil had also alleged that Pashankar was kidnapped at the behest of an influential politician.
Police had searched and scanned for CCTV footage all across the city and his last location was detected at an ATM centre on Ganeshkhind road from where he withdrew Rs 5000. The data from Pashankar's phone was also completely erased. A week after his disappearance, Pashankar's son has revealed some names who could possibly be linked with the disappearance of Pashankar.
Gautam Pashankar resides at the Modi Baug area in Shivajinagar. He had gone to his family-owned gas agency in Loni Kalbhor on October 24 afternoon. He had returned to his office on Jangli Maharaj Road at around 4pm. Gautam Pashankar had then sent his car driver to Panshet for some work. He later went to the LIC office on Ganeshkhind Road from where he has mysteriously disappeared.
Gautam Pashankar's car driver tried to call him on the mobile phone, but Pashankar did not respond. The driver then informed about it to Pashankar's son Kapil. The Pashankar family immediately tried to locate him, but they could not. Hence the family members headed straight to the Shivajinagar police station and lodged a missing person report.
Pune police had formed five teams to search for Gautam Pashankar. He was seen in Kolhapur after he went missing. By the time police reached the hotel in Kolhapur, Pashankar had moved elsewhere. Based on technical intelligence, police tracked him at a hotel in Jaipur in Rajasthan.
