FIR against Puja Khedkar's father in Pune for obstructing govt work

Police have registered a case against Dilip Khedkar, the father of former probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, on charges of threatening and obstructing a public servant in the discharge of duty in Pune district, officials said on Friday.

The case was filed at the Bundgarden police station here on the basis of a complaint lodged by a tehsildar-rank officer from the Pune district collectorate, they said.

"The complaint says that during Puja Khedkar's posting as an assistant collector, Dilip Khedkar allegedly used threatening language against tehsildar Dipak Akade, asking him to allot a cabin for his daughter even as he had no right to interfere in the administrative functioning," an official said.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) recently cancelled the selection of Puja Khedkar and also permanently debarred her from all future exams and selections.

She is currently untraceable after an FIR was registered against her in Delhi as she is accused of 'misrepresenting information' in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022.

The 2023 batch officer is accused of misusing power and privileges by demanding perks and facilities she was not entitled for, during her training at the Pune district collectorate.

"After receiving the complaint from the district administration, we registered a case against Dilip Khedkar under sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of his public functions), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)," a senior official of the Pune police said. The incident occurred in June this year.

Dilip Khedkar, a retired government official was also booked in a case of criminal intimidation filed by the Paud police in Pune, in which his wife Manorama was accused of toting a gun at a person in Mulshi area over a land dispute. Dilip Khedkar was granted anticipatory bail in that case, while his wife Manorama, who was arrested by Pune rural police, was released on bail by the court recently.