Mumbai Crime: Missing diamond merchant found dead in car at Panvel

The car in which his body was found

A 57-year-old diamond merchant who was missing from Ghatkopar East, was found dead in a car at Panvel, Navi Mumbai, recently. He had gone missing on November 28 when he left home to allegedly meet a woman in Andheri. His family had told the police that they had not heard from him since then and that they suspected foul play. The police suspect his death to be the fallout of his proximity to some women working in dance bars.

Family approaches police
The merchant was identified as Rajeshwar Udani, a resident of Cama Lane, Ghatkopar West. The police had found his last location at Rabale in Navi Mumbai. According to police sources, Udani used to spend nights away from home. According to ACP (Ghatkopar division) Manik Singh Patil, "On November 28, around 9.45 PM, he left home. We later found that he had left his car near Vikhroli traffic chowkie and taken another car. When he didn't come home that day his family approached us and a missing complaint was registered. His family registered a kidnapping case on December 3 in Pant Nagar Police station.

Rajeshwar Udani was a resident of Ghatkopar. Pics/Rajesh Gupta

Body identified as Udani's
Three days ago, Panvel Taluka police found the body of an unknown man in a car. They had sent information about this to all police stations in Navi Mumbai, Mumbai and Thane. "After receiving this information, Pant Nagar police sent a team there with the relatives of Udani, to identify the body," said an officer from Pant Nagar. "Family members identified Udani on the basis of his shirt and slippers. We have the car in our custody and are checking if it is the same one he took from the Vikhroli traffic chowkie," the officer added.

The police said that the diamond merchant, who also dabbled in real estate, proceeded to Vikhroli after meeting a woman in Andheri. They said that his phone's location data showed that he moved from Andheri towards the Eastern Express Highway and at Vikhroli, his mobile was switched off. They suspect there was someone else in the car. Udani's call data records show that he was in touch with several women who work in bars, said the police. "He used to visit dance bars often," said a source.

Several women questioned
Pant Nagar police called several women with whom Udani was allegedly in touch with, for their statements. Sources also revealed that two to three of these women work for national television serials. A police team was sent to Pune for investigation. So far there has been no arrest.

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