Pune: The Pune Rural Police on Thursday (July 18) detained the controversial IAS-Probationary Officer Puja Khedkar's mother, Manorama Khedkar, who was allegedly seen threatening farmers with a gun in her hand in an old video. Manorama was taken into custody from Mahad in Raigad district. Pune Rural Police had registered a case under the Arms Act against her.
Police arrived at Paud Police Station in Pune with Manorama Khedkar. After completing all the legal procedures, she may appear in court today.
Puja Khedkar's parents Manorama and Dilip Khedkar have been absconding for the last few days after police registered an FIR against them over a video purportedly showing Manorama threatening some individuals with a gun following a land dispute in Mulshi tehsil of Pune district. Paud police in Pune rural have booked the Khedkar couple and five others under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) sections, including 323 (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property).
According to sources, Manorama reached Parvati Niwas Hotel in Mahad with her driver at 10 pm last night. The driver had booked the same room with Manorama by claiming that they were mother and son.
The driver and Manorama Khedkar were hiding together in the same room. Manorama was arrested in a raid early this morning after the police got information.
Manorama threatens Pune farmer with pistol
Manorama allegedly threatened Pune farmers with a pistol in a bid to force him to sell his land. Videos of the incident, which took place around two months back in the Mulshi region, have surfaced now showing a menacing Manorama D Khedkar first flashing and then pointing a pistol and indulging in a heated argument with farmers over a land issue.
Accompanied by a professional team of male bouncers and female security personnel, Manorama Khedkar had a heated exchange with the farmer, all the while brandishing the weapon at him. The aggrieved farmers of the area later claimed they were making efforts to lodge a complaint with the police on the incident, but were not entertained, reportedly owing to political pressure. However, now they have demanded a thorough investigation into that harrowing incident.
As per records of their assets, the Khedkar family owns over 25 acres of land in Pune and sought to augment their holdings there by compelling neighbouring tillers to sell off their lands, but most have resisted the efforts.
Trouble mounts for Puja Khedkar
Notably, Puja Khedkar made the headline recently after she was accused of using fake disability and OBC certificates to pass the civil services exam, as well as her conduct during her tenure at the Pune collector's office. The controversy surrounding her selection brought the Khedkar family into the spotlight.
She was subsequently transferred to Washim from Pune. However, the government on Tuesday put on hold the district training programme of the controversial IAS officer as she was summoned back to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Uttarakhand's Mussoorie for "necessary action".
A letter by Maharashtra additional chief secretary Nitin Gadre said the academy had decided to put her district training programme on hold, and immediately recalled her.
Also Read: Puja Khedkar's father Dilip was suspended twice on corruption charges, report reveals
