 "Puja Khedkar's father abducted truck driver, mother unleashed dogs: Police")
Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar’s father, Dilip Khedkar, and his bodyguard, Praful Salunkhe, allegedly abducted a truck driver and took him to the family’s bungalow in Pune, news agency PTI reported.
The incident occurred on Saturday evening on Mulund-Airoli Road, when 22-year-old Prahlad Kumar, driving a concrete mixer truck, brushed against a Land Cruiser. This sparked an argument between Kumar and the two occupants of the SUV, according to a Rabale police official.
Police tracked the SUV to Pune using technical analysis and rescued Kumar from the house of Puja Khedkar on Sunday, within hours of the abduction.
Officials said Puja Khedkar’s mother, Manorama Khedkar, tried to prevent police from entering the bungalow. “A Rabale police officer rang the bell and asked the watchman to call someone from the house. Manorama Khedkar came out but did not open the gate. Police explained the purpose of their visit and sought her cooperation in tracing the two individuals and the car involved in the abduction case. However, she refused to open the gate,” an officer said, as quoted by PTI.
Manorama allegedly assured police she would bring the two accused to Chatushringi police station by 3 pm, but later refused to comply. “Believing her, the police team left the spot. However, when they called her around 3 pm, she refused to come and told them to do whatever they wanted,” the official added.
She also reportedly helped the accused flee and unleashed two dogs inside the gate to scare police, who later found the car involved in the crime missing.
Police files case
The Navi Mumbai Police registered a kidnapping case against the SUV occupants, while Pune police lodged a separate case against Manorama Khedkar for obstructing public servants under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“Since no one was present to open the main gate of the bungalow, police personnel jumped over the iron gate and entered the premises. However, Manorama Khedkar was not found inside,” said Uttam Bhajanawale, senior inspector at Chatushringi police station.
So far, no arrests have been made, though the names of Dilip Khedkar and Praful Salunkhe are expected to be added to the FIR.
Puja Khedkar controversy
Puja Khedkar has faced allegations of misrepresenting facts in her UPSC 2022 civil services examination application to wrongfully avail OBC and disability quota benefits. She has denied all accusations.
Following the controversy over her appointment as a probationary IAS officer, a video surfaced last year showing her mother threatening a farmer. Manorama Khedkar was later arrested in connection with that incident and released on bail.
The UPSC has also initiated actions against Puja Khedkar, including lodging a criminal case for attempting to take the civil services exam using a falsified identity, and the Delhi Police has registered an FIR against her for multiple offences.
(With PTI inputs)