The police sent a circular along with the photographs and details of businessman Rathi to police offices across the country after Rathi´s son Haribansha registered a complaint about his missing dad on Friday. [break]
Police suspect that Rathi might have been kidnapped while he was on the way to Siliguri of India on a business trip on January 11.
Morang police has been working with Indian police in Darjeeling to search for Rathi. In the police complaint, Haribansha has said his father had gone to Kakadbhitta on personal business on January 11 and he has not contacted the family since then and asked the police to search for him.
Rathi had reached up to the Indian border at Kakarbhitta in his private car. From there he turned the car back and entered India. According to police, Rathi had told his son, "I have already reached the border and have returned the vehicle." Next day, before losing contact with the family, Rathi had answered his daughter´s phone call and said he would contact in the evening as he was attending a meeting at that time.
"Our investigation is under way to search for Rathi and we have also sought help from Indian police," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Uma Prasad Chaturbedi. Rathi has been in the business of paddy, rice and oil product for a long time. The owner of Biratnagar-based Chandra Shiva Rice and Oil Mill, Rathi was elected as the chairman of Morang District Chapter of Nepal Business Union from 2042 BS [1985 AD] to 2045 BS [1988 AD].
At present, he is the chairman of Nepal-India Friendship Society. Rathi has been running rice, pulse, flour, and jute and match factories in Nepal. The family had kept the incident secret for over a week. Rathi family is reluctant to speak about it saying that he had gone to India for medical treatment.
According to a source, family has been concealing the Rathi´s abduction as they are bargaining with the kidnapper over ransom money for his release. The source also claimed that the kidnappers have demanded Rs 50 million. The source further informed that Rathi´s family asked police recourse as they were not able to provide the amount asked by the kidnappers.
Police have also suspected fugitive inmate of Jhumka jailbreak Dhirendra Yadav´s involvement in the kidnapping. It was also suspected that Rathi might have been kidnapped by people who were reportedly cheated by his son-in-law who is involved in hundi business.
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