Fortnight on, no clue about FCI boss

Guwahati, Apr 30 (UNI) FCI executive director P C Ram remained untraced till today even as the rumours of his release did the rounds for a second time today.

With the police and his family and employers still clueless of his whereabouts, a private news channel reported his release four days back.

Top Army sources, however, today denied the report that Mr Ram had been rescued by a joint team of the Army and the state police.

The sources added that search operations are on to trace the abducted FCI chief.

Mr Ram, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in-charge of NE, Bihar and Jharkhand, was kidnapped by suspected militants after he left office at Ulubari area in Guwahati on the night of April 17.

While his official car was found in the Rangiya town, about 35 km from Guwahati, in lower Asom a day later, the FCI officer's driver, Raviram Basumatary, was released on April 22, near Barpeta, also in Lower Asom.

The kidnapped FCI officer's son Praveen, told UNI over phone from New Delhi this evening that he had not received any further communication from his father. He said, ''The only phone call we had received from him (Mr Ram) was on the night of his abduction.

Since then, no group or my father has contacted us.'' Praveen had earlier denied reports that the ULFA, suspected to be behind the kidnapping, had called him with a Rs 21 crore ransom demand.

FCI general manager (NE) Hari Prasad also said that they had no information about Mr Ram.

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