Pune: Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar's gun-toting mother Manorama arrested in illegal arms case
Pune Rural Police on Thursday arrested Manorama Khedkar, the mother of controversial trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, in connection with an illegal arms case. She was apprehended from a hotel in Mahad, near Raigad district. Three police teams are currently escorting her back to Pune, according to India Today.
Manorama Khedkar recently gained attention from a viral video in which she is seen threatening farmers in Pune's Mulshi taluka with a pistol. Her husband, former IAS officer Dilip Khedkar, is accused of amassing significant wealth and purchasing 25 acres of land in Mulshi taluka.
The Khedkar family allegedly attempted to expand their land holdings by encroaching on neighbouring properties. An FIR was filed against Manorama Khedkar at the Paud police station under sections 323, 504, and 506 of the IPC. Additionally, charges under the Arms Act were brought against her. Dilip Khedkar and five others also face charges, according to ANI.
In the meantime, residents of Bhalgaon in Pathardi taluka, Manorama Khedkar's native village, have issued a statement to the Ahmednagar Collector, claiming she is being defamed. They warned of a strong protest from Bhalgaon to Mumbai if the defamation does not cease, as reported by local media.
In their statement, villagers praised Manorama Khedkar for transforming Bhalgaon during her tenure as the village sarpanch. They recounted an incident on June 5 last year, when Khedkar was allegedly attacked by gangsters in Mulshi with sticks and sharp objects. According to the villagers, her security guards were unable to disperse the attackers, prompting Khedkar to draw a licensed pistol in self-defense. The villagers argue that the current allegations are defamatory to the Khedkar family.
The statement concluded with the village delegation's intent to meet Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging a transparent investigation into the incident.
