PANAJI
The Crime Branch has filed a 279-page chargesheet in the case of Gujarat businessman Bashudev Bhandari, who went missing on August 31, 2024, after his rental car plunged into the St Estevam river.
The chargesheet, submitted in the local court last Friday, names two men from Belagavi accused of road rage, endangering lives, and issuing threats, among other charges under the BNS.
Statements of 77 witnesses have been recorded, including Bhandari’s girlfriend, who was with him in the car, local residents, technical experts, and forensic specialists.
The accused, identified as Yasim Sheikh and Mohd Gous from Belagavi, were earlier detained in Hubballi, questioned, and later released. A test identification parade was also conducted during the probe.
The case was first registered by Old Goa Police as a road rage incident and was transferred to the Crime Branch after 40 days. Locals told police the riverbed in the area was marshy, full of mangroves, and infested with crocodiles.
Despite extensive efforts, the police have not been able to confirm if Bhandari is dead or alive. Sources said the chargesheet mentions that all possible steps were taken to trace him, but his disappearance remains unresolved.
Bhandari, 22, was last seen with his girlfriend, a management student from a Sanquelim institute, on the night of the incident. CCTV footage shows them with two others at a restaurant, where they were seen consuming alcohol before leaving. His family, which stayed in Goa for weeks after the accident, raised doubts about the girl and continued to question her while seeking answers about his fate.
According to the girl’s statement, two men chased their car before it plunged into the river. She said she swam to safety and believed Bhandari may have tried to do the same, although he did not know how to swim. A mobile phone recovered during repairs to the car was later seized and sent for forensic tests.
Technical analysis reportedly supported the girl’s version of events.
A large-scale search by the police, fire services, and the Indian Navy failed to trace the missing businessman.
