The general manager of an iron factory, who went missing on Sunday after leaving home for a haircut, triggering speculation about his kidnap, was intercepted by the police from a Calcutta-bound bus on the Bengal-Jharkhand border early on Thursday.

Cops ruled out the kidnap angle and hinted at “personal problems” behind the disappearance of Rajesh Jain, 44.

“Primary probe revealed it was not a case of kidnapping. Rajesh Jain had some mental stress because of personal issues. He disappeared. We will interrogate him soon,” said Abhishek Gupta, deputy commissioner of police (east).

The police said they found Rajesh seated inside a private bus coming from Aurangabad in Bihar at Duburdih check-post at 1am on Thursday. He was alone.

Rajesh was brought to Durgapur police station and his wife Monu informed. “Rajesh was apparently very tired and could not speak,” said a police officer. “He was produced before the judicial magistrate and sent home but we will question him when he is comfortable.”

Monu had claimed that she received a call on Sunday from Rajesh’s number where an unknown man had said “taka lagbe (will need money)”. The family construed this as demand for ransom. The police traced the call to Dhanbad.