KOLHAPUR, DECEMBER 16: The two kidnapped nephews of Maharashtra Social Welfare Minister Jayawant Awale were found near the Siddhala garden here yesterday, police said today.Two two kids - four-year-old Anmol alias Vikki Ramesh Awale of Ichalkaranji and eight-year-old Vaibhav Vijay Chougule of Sangli - were kidnapped by Vijay Chougule's dismissed driver Bajirao Patil on Tuesday last for a ransom of Rs five lakh, police said.Acting on a tip-off, police tapped Patil's telephone calls and kept constant vigil on the city lodges, hotels and STD booths.Their efforts bore fruits when the two kids were traced near Siddhala garden.Patil, who was fired by Chougule eight months ago, had approached him four days back to demand some money which Chougule refused, according to a complaint filed by Chougule with the police.Following this, Patil went to the house of Chougule's sister Sunita Ramesh Awale at Ichalkaranji, took out Vikki offering him some sweets and sped away in a jeep with the kid, the complaintsaid.Patil then demanded a ransom of Rs five lakh, but when they refused to pay the money, he went to Sangli and kidnapped Vaibhav from Rajabhau Jagdale Vidyamandir, police said.However, the abductor gave a slip to police and was still at large.
