Police have managed to find a married man, who eloped with his lover to Indore in July after lying to his family that he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, and that he would not survive the infection.

According to police, on July 24, Manish Mishra, a supervisor, employed with a clearing agent at JNPT in Navi Mumbai, called his wife and told her that he had tested positive for the virus. He also told her that he would not survive and then switched off his phone, police said.

Police further said his family filed a missing persons complaint the next day after he did not return home.

Police formed a team to locate Mishra and found that before he switched off his phone, his last known location was Vashi.

"We sent a team to the spot, where we got his motorcycle and key, his backpack that he carried to work, and his helmet. We even checked the Vashi creek with the help of local fishermen, but could not find his body. We were certain that he was alive and so we kept looking," said Inspector Sanjay Dhumal of Vashi police.

The investigators then started scanning CCTV footage and forwarded his pictures to police departments of other states in India.

"We got the first lead through CCTV footage in Airoli, where he could be seen travelling in a car with a woman..." the officer said.

"A team tracked its owner to Ratnagiri. Meanwhile, we were also constantly questioning his friends and family. We learnt that he was in an extramarital affair and was staying in Indore with his girlfriend, following which we sent a team and brought him back to Navi Mumbai," Dhumal said.

"We learnt that he was in an extramarital affair and was staying in Indore with his girlfriend, following which we sent a team and brought him back to Navi Mumbai," an officer said.

"Mishra was fired from work as he had indulged in a financial fraud recently. He had been having an affair for a couple of years and wanted to get rid of his wife and daughter. Which is why he plotted his illness and suicide. We reunited him with his family after counselling," Dhumal said.