Thirteen persons, including a Naib Tehsildar, were arrested on Thursday (February 6, 2025) for allegedly abducting the chief executive officer (CEO) of a local municipal body in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch district, police said. The official was rescued the same day after an over 150-kilometre chase.
According to the police, Aakash Dharve, 26, CEO at Janpad Panchayat of Jawad, was allegedly abducted by some people who had come in two SUVs when he was out on a morning walk with his brothers.
Additional Superintendent of Police, Neemuch, Naval Singh Sisodia told The Hindu that 13 people, including a Naib Tehsildar and a patwari (village registrar), were arrested for their involvement in the abduction. The arrested accused also include a young woman, he added.
Mr. Sisodia said information was received in the morning that some men had forced Mr. Dharve into a car and taken him.
“We immediately formed multiple teams and began locating the cars. We put barricades and pickets at various locations. We finally managed to trace them in Nagda of Ujjain district and nabbed them,” he said, adding that Mr. Dharve was rescued unharmed.
He said an FIR under relevant charges of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) such as abduction, assault and extortion had been filed and an investigation initiated.
Mr. Sisodia said the Naib Tehsildar and other accused had been forcing Mr. Dharve to marry a woman of their choice which he had refused.
“He had also called his brother as he felt threatened. They had brought the girl to his residence on Wednesday (February 5, 2025) and when he refused to give in, they planned the abduction,” he said.
