The family of a businessman kidnapped 14 years ago has recently filed a contempt petition in the high court against police's failure to trace him.

Ganesh Prasad, who used to sit at his family's jewellery store in Sasaram (Rohtas district headquarters 150km west of Patna), was kidnapped on June 18, 2001. He was 16 years old then. The family even identified two residents of Sasaram but none of that helped Ganesh's family members.

Last February, fed up with years of hollow assurances from the police, Ganesh's familyknocked on the door of Patna High Court. The court directed then Rohtas superintendent of police (SP) to recover the victim within three months. Nothing happened.

Earlier this month, Ganesh's elder brother Mahavir Prasad, also a goldsmith in Sasaram town, fileda contempt petition in the high court. Taking cognisance, the court ordered Rohtas superintendent of police Shivdeep Lande to submit a status report.

Mahavir said: 'The police have been callous. First, Sasaram Town police station refused to entertain the FIR and simply made a station diary ( sanha). Second, no action was taken and the matter remained under wraps till 2011 when then SP Manu Maharaaj launched an investigation. We had almost forgotten the incident and thought nothing would happen in the case.'

Maharaaj's transfer soon after meant the case was again 'thrown into the dustbin'. Then, the family approached the high court for justice. 'Last year, the division bench of Justice V.N. Sinha and Justice Amresh Kumar Lal ordered then SP Vikas Burman to recover the kidnapped trader within three months. But nothing happened,' added Mahavir.

He recounted how his brother was kidnapped in front of him. 'He shouted for help but I couldn't do anything, as the kidnappers were armed with lethal weapons,' he added.

Anil Kesari and R.C. Jauhari, identified by Mahavir, were made named accused. 'The identity of four others could not be ascertained because they were masked,' said Mahavir, now in his 40s.

'My father was attacked and bombs were hurled at my house to pressurise me to withdraw the case. But we have decided to take the case to its logical conclusion,' he asserted.