Pune Police has seized a pistol and three bullets from the house of Manorama Khedkar, mother of controversial IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar, who was arrested for allegedly threatening some Maharashtra farmers while brandishing the gun.
Police arrested Manorama Khedkar Raigad district in Maharashtra on July 18 in connection with a viral video in which she was seen brandishing a gun and threatening the villagers, allegedly over a land dispute.
NDTV reported that the police also seized the SUV featured in the viral video, which sparked public outrage. Manorama Khedkar is facing several charges, including attempted murder.
Manorama Khedkar, her husband Dilip Khedkar, and three others have been accused of threatening Pandharinath Pasalkar (65) with a gun over a land dispute in Dhadwali village in Mulshi tehsil of Pune on June 4.
The prosecution told a court in Pune that the addition of IPC Section 307 in the FIR is justified as the accused had put the gun on the complainant’s head. When she was about to pull the trigger, the complainant ducked in fear, while the other accused restrained her, police told the court.
Calling the accused “influential and politically active” persons, police said they wanted to confiscate the weapon and needed her custodial interrogation for that purpose. The prosecution also said police wanted to trace the other accused in the case.
A Pune sessions court has granted interim protection from arrest till July 25 to Dilip Khedkar, father of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is also accused of threatening a farmer over a land dispute.
Meanwhile, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has sealed a company in Pune, ThermoVerita, linked to Manorama Khedkar, for a tax default of Rs 2.77 lakh.
On July 19, the UPSC filed a criminal case against Puja Khedkar for “misrepresenting and falsifying facts” after a thorough investigation into misconduct allegations.
Puja Khedkar allegedly manipulated her identity to appear for the civil services examination multiple times, exceeding the permissible attempts, according to a statement issued by the Commission.
The UPSC has also issued a show cause notice regarding the cancellation of her candidature for the 2022 examination and is considering barring her from future exams, according to the statement.
(With inputs from agencies)