‘Missing’ ACP said to be in Jabalpur; police say he had ‘family problems’

Mumbai’s Assistant Commissioner of Police, Rajkumar Chaphekar, whose family reported him missing on Friday, called Navi Mumbai police on Sunday morning to say he was returning from Jabalpur. Chaphekar was briefly one of the officers on the team investigating the Ashwini Bidre murder case.

Chaphekar, who is attached with the Economic Offences Wing, left his office on Friday evening but did not reach his home in Seawoods. According to a senior police officer, his phone was switched off. On Saturday, his family lodged a missing person’s complaint at the NRI police station in Navi Mumbai.

On Sunday morning, the police control room got a call from Chaphekar, sources said. “He called the control room and asked to speak to the investigation officer of the missing complaint. He told the officer that he was in Jabalpur and was on his way back,” said DCP (zone 1) Sudhakar Pathare.

According to senior police officers, Chaphekar was under tension over personal issues. “He was having several personal problems. He is also diabetic and has health issues. He was under tension for some time,” said one of his colleagues requesting anonymity.

But the NRI police are waiting till Sunday night for Chaphekar to return. “We will question him to find out how he reached Jabalpur and why he went there. His family has been informed of the phone call,” said a senior police officer.