Siddhartha missing case: Political leaders visit father-in-law S.M. Krishna

Political leaders are thronging the residence of former Union minister S.M. Krishna in Bengaluru after the latter's son-in-law and founder of India's largest coffee chain Cafe Coffee Day, V.G. Siddhartha, went missing near Mangaluru on Monday evening.

Former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was one of the first to visit Krishna, who also served as the chief minister of Karnataka from 1999-2004. Soon, newly sworn-in Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa also called on his party colleague and held discussion with the family members. Senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar also visited Krishna's residence. 

In a regulatory filing on Tuesday morning, Cafe Coffee Day Enterprises confirmed that it's Chairman and Managing Director Siddhartha has been missing since Monday evening. "V G Siddhartha, Chairman and Managing Director of Coffee Day Enterprises Limited is not reachable since yesterday evening. We are taking the help of concerned authorities," Coffee Day Enterprises said in a regulatory filing.

"Company is professionally managed and led by competent leadership team, which will ensure continuity of business," the filing added.

More than 200 policemen and divers on about 25 boats have been carrying out searches for him. The deputy commissioner said that sniffer dogs have also been pressed into service. "The help of local fishermen is being taken in the search. We are checking who all he spoke to over phone," Mangaluru Police Commissioner Sandeep Patil said. However, rain has reportedly dampened the search for the businessman. 

Congress MLA U.T. Khader, who reached the spot, told local news channels that the police were looking into "all angles". "The search is on," he said.