Disappearance of popular delivery driver Shiva Chauhan in May 2014 remains a mystery
HE was due to get married to his long-term girlfriend, was well-liked and had no enemies. So who would want to harm bakery delivery driver Shiva Chauhan?
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THE disappearance of a delivery van driver in Melbourne’s southeast remains a mystery, two years since he was last seen.
Shiva Chauhan has not used his bank account or mobile phone since May 2014, with missing persons detectives holding grave concern for his welfare.
Mr Chauhan, 27 at the time, was working as a delivery man for a friend on May 1.
He was last sighted leaving a Dandenong South bakery, on South Park Rd, about 12.30am May 2.
Concerns were raised later that morning when it was discovered his deliveries were not made and he had failed to turn up to an arranged meeting the same afternoon.
Police can now reveal the delivery van was sighted at 5am, prior to its discovery on Hutton Rd, Keysborough at 3pm later that day.
Police could not comment on whether there was CCTV in the area on the night of his disappearance.
A stolen maroon 2006 Toyota Camry with registration plates: ULO972, believed to be linked to the disappearance, has not been recovered.
Missing Persons Squad detective Snr Sgt Craig Rhodes said Mr Chauhan’s possible captor or captors were likely known to him.
“There were no signs of any force and the vehicle that he was driving at the time was locked and all his personal belongings were located in the vehicle,” he said.
“That tends to make us suggest ... that whoever intercepted Shiva on that morning was in fact known to him at the time.”
Mr Chauhan was well liked and did not have any known enemies.
He planned to marry his Australian girlfriend of four years.
“He was due to get married, they were madly in love and he told her every where he went,” Snr Sgt Rhodes said.
“(His disappearance) was completely out of character, completely unforeseen.”
Police have not determined a motive for Mr Chauhan’s disappearance.
Snr Sgt Rhodes said investigators had determined a link between his disappearance and Philip Island, but could not reveal the connection.
After receiving this information, police searched Flynn’s Beach on 3 February last year but failed to locate anything relating to the investigation.
Mr Chauhan’s family is overseas and are in regular contact with investigators. His fiance remains in Australia.
Snr Sgt Rhodes said a number of Mr Chauhan’s friends and associates were persons of interest in the case.
Anyone with information regarding Mr Chauhan’s disappearance should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.