Manorama Khedkar, mother of controversial trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, was taken into custody by Pune Police this morning for allegedly possessing an illegal firearm. This incident adds to the challenges faced by the young bureaucrat, who is already facing scrutiny over her UPSC candidature and accusations of abuse of power.
Manorama was picked up from a lodge near Raigad Fort in Raigad district. She will reportedly be arrested upon her return to Pune.
Recently, a viral video captured her wielding a pistol during a confrontation with local farmers over a land dispute in Mulshi village, Pune district. The footage, sparking widespread public outrage, shows her in a heated exchange with a famer demanding to see land documents purportedly in her name. As tensions mounted, she threatened with farmer with the pistol before hiding it after noticing a recording camera.
After the video gained widespread attention, Pune Police took immediate action by filing a First Information Report (FIR) against Puja Khedkar. The FIR also names her husband, Dilip Khedkar, as an accused. A twice-suspended retired administrative officer with a history marred by corruption charges, Dilip faced his first suspension in 2018 while serving as the Regional Officer in Kolhapur, following allegations from the local sawmill and timber merchants association, accusing him of soliciting bribes ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 in exchange for reinstating their utilities. His second suspension was in 2020 over similar allegations.
Puja Khedkar, who secured an all-India rank (AIR) of 841 in the UPSC exam for the 2023 batch, has been accused of falsely identifying as an OBC candidate and faking visual and mental disabilities for her UPSC selection. She was initially thrust into the limelight over the use of a red beacon, VIP number plates, and a government sticker on her private Audi sedan.
Her training in Maharashtra has been put on hold and she has been ordered to return to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie for further action.
