A shocking case has surfaced in Madhya Pradesh’s Rajgarh district, where Vishal Soni, son of BJP leader Mahesh Soni, allegedly faked his death in a desperate bid to evade repayment of a Rs 1.40 crore bank loan.

The case first came to light on September 5, when police received reports of a car sinking near Gopalpura in the Kalisindh River. Divers recovered the car, later identified as Vishal’s, but it was empty. With the assistance of the State Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF), a massive search was conducted along a 20-kilometer stretch of the river.

Mobile Records Lead Police to Maharashtra Hideout

When the search yielded no results, investigators examined Soni’s mobile phone records, which revealed that he was in Maharashtra. Acting on this lead, police detained him in the Fardapur area of Sambhaji Nagar district in a joint operation with Maharashtra Police.

Vishal Soni Confesses to Faking Death Over Loan Burden

During interrogation, Vishal admitted that he owned six trucks and two passenger vehicles but had debts exceeding Rs 1.40 crore. Vishal claimed that he had been advised his debts could be waived if a death certificate was issued. Acting on this idea, he pushed his car into the river on September 5, fled on a driver’s motorcycle, and then boarded a bus to Indore before traveling to Shirdi and Shani Shingnapur.

When he learned that police were closing in, Soni attempted to stage a kidnapping by tearing his clothes and filing a false complaint at the Fardapur police station. Police later revealed that, just days before his arrest, they had questioned his father and brothers, who suggested he might be hiding with relatives.

No Legal Provision for Faking Death, Soni Released to Family

Police said that there is no specific constitutional provision to punish someone for faking their own death, so Vishal was handed over to his family without a formal case.