Mid-Air Drama: Ex-Minister’s Son Forced to Return as Bangkok Trip Sparks Kidnapping Probe

Mumbai: A private chartered flight carrying former Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant’s son, Rishiraj Sawant, and his two friends was forced to return to Pune mid-air after police registered a kidnapping case. The incident unfolded after an anonymous call led to an urgent intervention by Sawant’s family and authorities.

According to the airline executive, the pilots initially dismissed the request to turn the plane around as a possible hoax. However, after verification from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), they complied with the directive. The flight, which had already reached Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, returned to Pune between 8 pm and 8:30 pm on Monday.

Rishiraj Sawant, 32, had booked the chartered flight to Bangkok without informing his family. When the Pune police received an anonymous call around 4 pm on Monday claiming he had been abducted, they quickly registered a kidnapping case. His father, a leader of the ruling Shiv Sena, rushed to the police commissioner’s office for help.

Investigations revealed that Rishiraj had planned the trip but had kept it a secret to avoid his family’s objections. The airline executive noted that the passengers were unaware of the diversion, as the in-flight navigation screens had been turned off. The three-friends only realized they were back in Pune after landing and reportedly confronted the pilots in anger.

Ater the landing, CISF personnel swiftly escorted Rishiraj and his friends off the plane. Meanwhile, opposition leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT) criticized the police for hastily filing a kidnapping case based on an anonymous tip. They accused Tanaji Sawant of misusing law enforcement to bring his son back from an undisclosed personal trip.

The DGCA has since praised the airline for its swift response and adherence to standard operating procedures. 

(With inputs from PTI)