Pune: Manorama Khedkar, the mother of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, was arrested by Pune Police today for allegedly possessing an illegal firearm. This incident adds to the mounting troubles faced by the young bureaucrat, who is already embroiled in controversies surrounding her UPSC candidature and allegations of misusing her position.
Manorama was hiding in a lodge near the Raigad Fort in Raigad district when Pune Police took her into custody this morning.
The arrest stems from a viral video that surfaced online recently, showing her brandishing a pistol while confronting local farmers over a land dispute in Pune district's Mulshi village. The footage, which has sparked public outrage, shows her in a heated exchange with a farmer, demanding to see land documents allegedly in her name. As tensions escalated, she waved the firearm threateningly before quickly concealing it upon noticing a camera recording the encounter.
After the video went viral, the Pune Police took action, registering a First Information Report (FIR) against her. The FIR also names her husband, Dilip Khedkar, a retired administrative officer, as an accused in the case.
Dilip Khedkar also faces a history of corruption charges, having been suspended twice during his tenure as a government officer. His first suspension occurred in 2018 while serving as the Regional Officer in Kolhapur. During this period, the local sawmill and timber merchants association filed a police complaint against him, alleging that he demanded bribes ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 to restore their power and water supplies. He faced another suspension in 2020 due to similar allegations.
The Khedkar family's troubles extend beyond this incident. Puja Khedkar, who secured an all-India rank (AIR) of 841 in the UPSC exam as part of the 2023 batch, has faced allegations of making false claims in her UPSC candidature and has been accused of misusing her power after assuming her post.
Allegations against her include misrepresentation as an OBC candidate and unsubstantiated claims of visual and mental disabilities during her UPSC exams. Additionally, accusations of her using a red beacon, VIP number plates, and a government sticker on her private Audi sedan have emerged.
Exclusive documents accessed by NDTV indicate that Puja Khedkar owns five plots of land and two apartments across Maharashtra, valued at an estimated Rs 22 crore, raising further questions about the family's financial dealings.