Pune Police Pressured? Opposition Questions VIP Privileges in Ex-Minister’s Son’s Case

Pune, 12th February 2025: A dramatic sequence of events unfolded late Monday night when a chartered flight bound for Bangkok was forced to return midair to Pune after police received an abduction complaint regarding Rushiraj Sawant (29), son of former Maharashtra health minister Tanaji Sawant. However, investigations later revealed that Rushiraj had left for Bangkok on his own accord, unaware of the unfolding chaos back home.

According to police sources, the Pune City Police contacted the pilot while the flight was over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, instructing him to return to Pune. This decision came after Rushiraj’s family, unable to contact him, assumed he had been abducted.

“Rushiraj had planned a business trip to Bangkok but did not inform his family due to fear, as he had recently traveled to Dubai. However, he did not specify the nature of his business,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) Shailesh Balkawade.

Upon landing at Lohegaon Airport, Rushiraj and his two friends—one a systems administrator at JSPM Campus, Narhe, and the other a travel agency operator—were questioned by the police. Their statements confirmed that it was not an abduction, and police officials stated they would soon file a summary report in court.

Rushiraj’s elder brother, Giriraj Sawant, defended the family’s actions, saying their father panicked when Rushiraj was not found on the JSPM campus in Narhe and was unreachable by phone.

“My father was worried and sought help from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol. The abduction case was filed out of panic, not with any malicious intent,” he explained.

The police, reportedly under pressure after calls from senior political leaders, promptly registered an abduction case with the Sinhagad Road police to ensure the flight was diverted back to Pune.

The incident sparked sharp political criticism, with opposition leaders accusing Tanaji Sawant of misusing government resources for personal reasons.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sushma Andhare expressed shock at how swiftly police acted in this case, stating: “It is outrageous that a flight was forced to turn around midair because a politician’s son decided to travel without informing his family. Meanwhile, ordinary citizens struggle to even get their complaints registered at police stations.”

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP, also took a swipe at the episode, saying: “While unemployed youth and poor families struggle in overcrowded trains, privileged individuals fly to Bangkok in chartered jets when they are upset.”

Adding fuel to the controversy, NCP (Sharad Pawar) MLA Jitendra Awhad drew parallels between this incident and Tanaji Sawant’s angry departure from Nagpur in December 2024, after being denied a cabinet berth in the Mahayuti government.

“First, he abruptly left Nagpur when he didn’t get a ministerial post. Now, he forced a plane to turn around for his son. This reflects his sense of entitlement,” Awhad remarked on X (formerly Twitter).

Police sources confirmed that the chartered flight was booked on Sunday, with payment made via RTGS. Authorities are now investigating who arranged and financed the trip.

While the political debate continues, the police are preparing to close the abduction case, acknowledging that it was filed based on miscommunication and panic rather than any actual crime. However, the controversy has left questions about privilege, misuse of power, and political influence in law enforcement hanging in the air.