Missing truck driver rescued from ex-IAS probationer Puja Khedkar's home

Prahlad Kumar, 22, was allegedly abducted after a minor collision on Mulund-Airoli road in Navi Mumbai when his concrete mixer truck brushed an SUV

A truck driver, allegedly abducted following a road rage incident in Navi Mumbai, has been rescued from the Pune residence of former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) probationer Puja Khedkar, police said on Monday. Khedkar faces accusations of cheating and improperly claiming Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination.

 

Abduction on Mulund-Airoli road

 

According to news agency PTI, the incident reportedly occurred on Saturday evening on Mulund-Airoli road in Navi Mumbai when Prahlad Kumar, 22, was driving his concrete mixer truck. The truck reportedly brushed against a sports utility vehicle (SUV), leading to a heated argument between Kumar and two occupants of the SUV, a police official told PTI.

 

 

The official said the SUV occupants then allegedly forced Kumar into their vehicle under the pretext of taking him to a police station and drove away. Following a complaint filed by the truck owner, a case was registered on Sunday under Section 137(2) (kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against two unidentified persons.

 

Police track SUV to Puja Khedkar's bungalow

 

The Navi Mumbai police traced the SUV to Pune using technical evidence. "We traced the vehicle and the victim to a bungalow belonging to Puja Khedkar," the official said. Initially, Khedkar’s mother reportedly tried to prevent the police from entering the house and clashed with them. However, the police team subsequently gained entry, rescued Kumar, and brought him back to Navi Mumbai, the official added.

 

No arrests have been made so far. Police have issued a notice to Khedkar’s mother to appear for questioning. "Further investigation is underway to identify the kidnappers and their motive," the police stated.

 

Khedkar’s legal issues

 

Khedkar has been accused of providing false information in her application for the 2022 UPSC civil services examination to avail herself of reservation benefits. She has denied all allegations. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has initiated several actions against her, including lodging a criminal case for attempting the civil services examination by falsifying her identity, while the Delhi Police had filed a First Information Report (FIR) against her for multiple offences.