Elderly businessman found murdered near Varandha ghat

PUNE: A 70-year-old businessman, who had gone missing from the city on January 10, was found murdered in the forest near the Varandha ghat at Bhor on the Pune-Mahad highway, about 90km from here, on Monday.

The Bhor police suspect the businessman, Rikabchand Raichand Oswal, was murdered elsewhere and his body thrown in the bushes in the forest. “His body was decomposing. We assume that the murder took place two days ago,” inspector P M Sutar of the Bhor police station told TOI.

Oswal, a successful businessman, used to run Oswal Udyog in the city which was engaged in construction activity and other enterprises including clothing and textiles.

“Some local residents told us about a body lying in the bushes on Monday afternoon. Our team went to the spot and recovered it. Later in the evening, we succeeded in establishing the man’s identity. His family members later claimed the body,” Sutar said.

Oswal’s hands and feet were found tied with rope, Sutar said. “How he was taken to the spot and how and for what reason he was killed are still not clear. We are registering an offence of murder,” he said.

Oswal’s son Samit had lodged a complaint with the Khadak police station on January 10 that his father had gone missing. Samit told the police that Oswal had left home on his scooter at around 11am on the day. The businessman had told his family that he was going to meet someone at Ganj Peth. The police are now searching for the scooter.

Senior inspector Rajendra Mokashi of the Khadak police station said “We asked the family members if Oswal had enmity with anyone or was involved in a bad business deal. However, the family said they could not suspect anyone for the murder.”