Pistol, bullets seized from residence of Puja Khedkar’s mother Manorama

Pune Police have seized a pistol and three bullets from the residence of Manorama Khedkar, mother of controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar. Khedkar allegedly used the firearm to threaten a group of farmers in Maharashtra.

Manorama was detained on Thursday (July 18) in Raigad district after a video surfaced, ostensibly showing her brandishing a firearm and threatening villagers, reportedly over a land dispute. The viral footage, which sparked public outrage, also led to the impounding of the SUV seen in the video.

Multiple charges

Khedkar faces multiple charges, including attempted murder. The video captures her in a heated argument with a farmer, demanding to see land documents she claimed were in her name. As tensions rose, she brandished the firearm threateningly before quickly hiding it upon realising she was being recorded.

This incident comes soon after the controversy surrounding her daughter, Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch trainee IAS officer. Puja made headlines recently when Pune collector Suhas Diwase wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, pointing out several demands she made that were beyond her entitlement during her probation.

Series of revelations

This complaint led to a series of revelations, including questions over how she cleared the UPSC selection process. Allegations emerged that she fraudulently availed of relaxations for physical disability and OBC candidacy. This resulted in a hold on her two-year training and a probe into her selection by a central panel.

Manorama Khedkar, along with her husband and three others, is accused of threatening 65-year-old Pandharinath Pasalkar with a gun over a land dispute in Dhadwali village, Pune's Mulshi tehsil. This incident took place on June 4.

'Influential, politically active'

Justifying the inclusion of IPC section 307 in the FIR, the prosecution informed court that the accused had put the gun to the complainant’s head and was about to pull the trigger before he ducked in fear and others restrained her.

Labelling the accused as "influential and politically active," the police stressed for the need to confiscate the weapon and conduct a custodial interrogation to trace other suspects involved in the case.