Mumbai: The Navi Mumbai Police on Saturday summoned Rajesh Patil, nephew of former State Finance Minister Eknath Khadse, from Jalgaon for questioning in connection with the disappearance of API Ashwini Jaykumar Bidre alias Ashwini Raju Gore, a year-and-a-half ago.
According to the police, Call Detail Records (CDR) of Mr. Patil, arrested PI Abhay Shamsundar Kurundkar and Ms. Bidre show they were at the same place on April 15, 2016, the day she was last seen. Sources in the police said, “There were several calls between Mr. Patil and Mr. Kurundkar, and they were with Ms. Bidre at her last location in Mira-Bhayander the day she went missing. We’ve been summoning all who were in touch with Mr. Kurundkar as part of our investigation.”
Mr. Kurundkar and Mr. Patil met when the former was posted in Jalgaon. “A police team reached Mr. Patil’s house with the summons on Saturday, and he accompanied them to Kalamboli police station. We are interrogating him as a part of the investigation,” an officer said. Mr. Patil was grilled for several hours on Saturday evening before being allowed to leave. He has been asked to present himself for further questioning on Sunday.
Posted with the Protection of Civil Rights Unit in Konkan Bhavan, Belapur, Ms Bidre, a resident of Roadpali in Kalamboli, has been missing since April 15, 2016. A missing person complaint was registered on July 14, 2016. On January 31, 2017 a case of kidnapping was filed at Kalamboli police station. On Thursday, Mr. Kurundkar, who is with the Security Branch, Thane Rural Police, was arrested. In police custody till December 15, he has maintained he is unaware of Ms. Bidre’s whereabouts. “Being from the police department himself, interrogating him is a big challenge,” an officer said.
