Navi Mumbai: Man hailing from Taloja in Maharashtra eloped with his girlfriend after misleading his wife to believe that he was tested positive for Covid-19. Twenty-eight-year-old Manish Mishra pretended to go missing after he took flight from his residence in Uran to Indore along with his girlfriend. He attempted to convince his wife that he will not survive the infection.
On July 24, Manish left his house on his two-wheeler after informing his wife that he was returning to work at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) in Navi Mumbai. Later that night, he rang up his wife to tell her that he had contracted the coronavirus and that he will not survive the infection. Although his wife reassured him that he will be fine, the man went on to switch off his cellphone.
Unable to reach Manish, his wife reported the matter to their relatives. Following a search for Manish Mishra by the relatives, his two-wheeler with a key was found abandoned on the roadside near Vashi sector 17. The man's office bag and helmet were also later found.
Meanwhile, Manish's brother-in-law Saurabh Tiwari lodged a complaint at Vashi police station, reporting his disappearance. After an investigation by the Vashi police, it was revealed that Manish was involved in an extra-marital affair. Later, it came to the light that Manish had fled to Indore with intentions to settle down permanently with his girlfriend. A team led by Vashi police station officer Sanjeev Dhumal arrested Manish along with his girlfriend and brought him to Navi Mumbai on September 15.