Pune rural police on Thursday arrested Manorama Khedkar, mother of controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, for allegedly threatening farmers at gunpoint. Manorama was detained in the Mahad area of Raigad district and taken to Paud police station, where she was formally arrested. She is expected to appear in court soon.
The arrest followed a complaint from 65-year-old farmer Pandharinath Pasalkar, leading to an FIR at the Paud police station on July 12. The complaint named Manorama, her husband Diliprao Khedkar, and Ambadas Khedkar, among others. They face charges under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act.
The FIR stemmed from a video showing Manorama wielding a gun and arguing with a farmer over disputed land in Dhadawali village, Mulshi tehsil, on June 5, 2023. In the video, she is seen with several bouncers, brandishing a pistol during the heated exchange.
Police visited the Khedkars’ Baner residence but found them absent, prompting a search. They have since conducted a spot inspection in Dhadawali and recorded witness statements.
According to an election affidavit by Diliprao Khedkar, a retired government officer and Lok Sabha candidate for the Ahmednagar South constituency in 2024, the family owns significant land in Dhadawali village, with Diliprao owning 1.21 hectares and Manorama owning 4.115 hectares.
