Kashimira police in Mira Road have arrested a school bus owner for allegedly threatening to kidnap a student and demanding ₹4 lakh from his mother. The accused had also reportedly threatened several other parents for money.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Rahul Chavan shared the details of the case at a press conference held at the Kashimira police station on Monday. Assistant Commissioner Ganpat Pingale, Senior Inspector Rajendra Kamble and investigating officers Rajesh Kini and Shivaji Khade were present along with other members of the investigation team.
According to police, the incident came to light on October 24 when the mother of a 14-year-old student from St. Jerome School in Kashigaon filed a complaint. She told police that she received a WhatsApp message threatening to kidnap her son unless she paid ₹4 lakh. The sender also sent her a photo of her son.
Police traced the mobile number used for the threats and detained the person in whose name the SIM card was registered. The man, a labourer, told police he no longer used the number as it was deactivated. During further questioning, the boy’s mother told police that the photo sent to her was the same one she had given to her son’s school bus driver.
Police then detained the bus driver, identified as Sadanand Baburao Patri, 37, a resident of Mahajanwadi near Hanuman Temple in Mira Road. During interrogation, Patri confessed to the crime. He owns three small vehicles, including Eco, Winger and Force vans, and provides school transport services for students from St. Jerome School and Mother Mary School. He personally drives one vehicle, while his nephew and another hired driver operate the others.
Police said Patri collected contact numbers and photos of students from parents for transportation purposes. He also ran a small mobile recharge and repair shop in Mahajanwadi. A labourer once visited his shop for a recharge, and Patri tricked him into giving his SIM card by claiming it was deactivated. He then took that SIM card and placed a different inactive card in the man’s phone. Using the stolen SIM, Patri sent WhatsApp messages to parents, demanding ransom and threatening to kidnap their children.
He demanded ₹4 lakh from the complainant and had also targeted other parents. In one case, he demanded ₹5 lakh but later agreed to ₹3 lakh. In another, he allegedly threatened to abduct a woman’s husband and demanded ₹50 lakh.
A court has remanded Patri in police custody until Tuesday. The investigation is being led by Sub-Inspector Rajesh Kini.