Thaindian News

Jaipur, Aug 31 (IANS) A day after Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Naveen Jain went missing from a restaurant in Rajasthan’s Alwar district, his wife said Wednesday he was depressed because of the controversy over allotment of an official residence to him.

“He was depressed after it was alleged that he had taken possession of a government bungalow in Jaipur illegally. The truth is he had got verbal approval to move into the house and the process of written approval was undergoing,” Sunita Jain told media persons.

Jain was transferred to Jaipur on Aug 3 from Baran district where he was posted as district collector.

Sunita appealed to her husband that he should return immediately as the whole family was worried about him.

She said that Jain has not gone to any of their relatives.

Sunita also met Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. “He assured me that the government is leaving no stone unturned to find my husband,” Sunita added.

Meanwhile, all efforts of police to trace the missing IAS officer have not yielded any results so far.

Police have provided separate phone numbers requesting the people to inform them if they get any clue of Jain’s whereabouts.

Jain, 36, was posted as commissioner in the state’s settlement department in Jaipur. He disappeared from a restaurant Tuesday, leaving behind a note for his wife and son, saying they should take care of themselves.

“Around a dozen teams have been constituted to search for him and rushed to various places throughout the country,” a police office told IANS.

“His wife alerted us within less than 30 minutes after she found the note. But as the restaurant is situated on the national highway between Jaipur and Delhi, he could have easily got some transport,” said the officer.

Gehlot also sought details of the incident from the police. Jain’s wife Sunita and son Gautam returned to Jaipur Tuesday evening.

According to police, Jain had gone to a restaurant in Shahajanpur, some 150 km from here, along with his wife and son for breakfast.

“While they were having food, Jain got up from the table on the pretext of making a call and walked out,” said Additional Superintendent of Police Sangram Singh. Jain then left a note in their car parked outside.

“In the note, he repented that he had not been able to provide a house to his family. He said that he was going somewhere and should not be disturbed,” said the officer.

The entire state police machinery was jolted into action following the officer’s disappearance. Teams have been rushed to Haryana and Delhi and exit routes of the state are being checked.

Jain, who belongs to Haryana, was also district collector in Hanumangarh, Karauli and Rajsamand districts of Rajasthan.