Pune, Maharashtra – On Thursday, the Pune Police defended the inclusion of IPC Section 307 (attempted murder) in the FIR against Manorama Khedkar, mother of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar. The police told a Maharashtra court that Khedkar had allegedly put a gun to the complainant’s head and was about to pull the trigger before he ducked in fear, with other accused restraining her, as reported by PTI.
Seeking five days of custody for Manorama Khedkar in a land dispute case, the police described her, her husband Dilip, and three others as “influential and politically active” individuals. The court in Paud remanded her in police custody until July 20.
Earlier on Thursday, Manorama Khedkar was detained from a lodge in Raigad district’s Mahad and brought to the Paud Police station before being formally arrested. The incident stems from a complaint by Pandharinath Pasalkar, a 65-year-old farmer, who accused Manorama and others of threatening him with a gun over a land dispute in Dhadwali village, Pune.
The FIR includes charges under IPC sections 323, 504, 506, 143, 144, 147, 148, and 149, along with sections of the Arms Act. A search was launched for Manorama and her husband after a video surfaced showing her allegedly threatening individuals with a gun in June 2023.
The police claim Manorama has not cooperated with investigators regarding the whereabouts of the other accused, details about the weapon, and the vehicle used. They argue that her custodial interrogation is necessary to confiscate the weapon and trace the other accused.
Defense counsel Nikhil Malani opposed the custody request, arguing that the charges were an afterthought, added 13 months after the incident. He claimed the complainant filed the case only after a video went viral on social media.
After considering both sides, the court remanded Manorama Khedkar in police custody until July 20. Meanwhile, her daughter Puja Khedkar is under scrutiny for her claims regarding disability and OBC certificates in her UPSC candidature, as well as her conduct during her tenure at the Pune collector’s office.
Amid the controversy, the government has put Puja Khedkar’s district training program on hold, summoning her back to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for “necessary action.” Additionally, the Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau is seeking an open inquiry into alleged disproportionate assets of Puja’s father, Dilip Khedkar, a retired government official.
Comments