A key witness in the Sanjiv Bhatt case who had gone missing since Tuesday was kidnapped in connection with a land deal he was brokering and has been released, police said on Friday.
"Shreanik Shah, who was a witness in Bhatt case was found at Balasinor in Sabarkantha district today," police inspector S B Trivedi told PTI.
"Shah told us that he was kidnapped by six persons from near his house in connection with a land deal that he was brokering. They took him to Balasinor and robbed him of valuables and beat him before leaving him," Trivedi said.
According to Trivedi, Shah telephoned his brother from Balasinore who then brought him back home to Ahmedabad.
"We have recorded Shah's statement and are probing the matter further," he said.
A complaint was lodged by Shah's family on Wednesday night after he had gone missing. Shah was present with constable K D Pant when Bhatt had allegedly threatened Pant and forced him to sign false affidavit as per Pant's FIR, based on which Bhatt was arrested last month and later released on bail.