Rescued executive Ashwini Bhat in Gwalior. Picture by Saeed Faruqui

Bhopal, Jan. 27: A kidnapped pharma executive returned home on Republic Day amid whispers of ransom being transferred over the Internet — an unusual and risky mode of collection that leaves behind a trail easy to track.

Madhya Pradesh police said Ashwini Bhat, a senior executive with drug-maker Nicholas Piramal, and his driver were rescued on Saturday in a joint operation carried out with forces from Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

“All the abductors managed to flee the village before our team reached. It was an integrated operation along with Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan police. We can’t reveal more now as the probe is at a crucial stage,” the Madhya Pradesh special task force inspector-general, Sanjeev Kumar Singh, said.

Another officer later said Bhat, 49, was rescued on Saturday from Parya Chola village in the Chambal region where at least 30 dacoits and inter-state gangs operate. The village shares its border with Dholpur, Rajasthan.

However, police sources who did not want to be identified claimed that they had “photographs” of the kidnappers withdrawing money from “an ATM”. The sources put the ransom at Rs 2 crore.

The police sources added that the kidnappers — said to be the henchmen of Chambal gangsters Vikram Rana and Vinod Rana — collected the amount through the third-party money transfer facility that comes with Internet banking.

Asked why kidnappers would leave a trail behind by using a bank account, the sources did not have a satisfactory reply other than a suggestion that the kidnappers might have wanted to use the hawala route but somehow could not manage that.

The police, Nicholas Piramal officials and Bhat’s family denied any ransom was paid to secure the release.

An exhausted Bhat said he and his driver were abducted on January 18 while they were on their way from Gwalior to Indore.

“The abductors arrived in a Tata Sumo and stopped our car after overtaking us. They manhandled us and took us at gunpoint to an unknown location. They also covered our eyes. Then we were moved to a jeep. They warned us to obey orders or face the bullet. For nine days, I lived in trauma and in a pathetic condition,” Bhat added.

Bhat’s wife Vasanti said: “I am grateful to everybody — the police, my community and the Nicholas Piramal group.” Daughter Aditi echoed Vasanti, saying: “All that matters is that he is safe.”

Vasanti said she received a call on Saturday from Sanjeev Kumar Singh, the task force IG, that her husband was safe.

Bhat was abducted while returning from Gwalior after attending an investors’ meeting.

Expressing relief at the release, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan said the abduction was “a one-off incident” and it would not affect fresh investments in the state.