Puja Khedkar’s Parents ‘Vanish’ From Home As Police Launches Manhunt To Trace Them In Arms Case

Puja Khedkar—an IAS trainee officer’s parents against whom FIR was registered recently for allegedly threatening a farmer have suddenly disappeared from their home, while police has launched a manhunt to trace them. Khedkar’s parents have also switched off their mobile phones.

“The accused are on the run. We are trying to contact them but they are not reachable as their phones are switched off. We also reached their residence but they are not available,” Pankaj Deshmukh, SP, Pune Rural, told news agency ANI.

Police teams are conducting searches for Khedkar's parents, Deshmukh added.

“Several teams, including officials from the local crime branch and local police stations, are searching for them in Pune and nearby places with some farmhouses and residences. When found, we will question them and take action accordingly,” the above officer was quoted as saying.

Earlier, Khedkar’s parents—her mother Manorama and father Dilip are among seven people who were booked based on the complaint by the farmer, a local who claimed he was threatened by trainee IAS officer’s mother. Khedkar’s father Dilip is also a retired bureaucrat.

The video of Khedkar’s mother was brandishing a gun and purportedly threatening villagers in Mulshi taluka of the Pune district had gone viral on social media platforms. Reportedly, Khedkar’s mother Manorama is said to be a sarpanch of Bhalgaon village and had threatened some people with the gun over a land dispute.

Later, the police said the video was recorded in June 2023.

After a probe, a case was filed against the accused under sections 323, 504, 506, 143, 144, 147, 148, and 149 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 3 (25) of the Arms Act.

The family, however, has claimed through their lawyer that the gun seen in the video was used to avoid further escalation of the argument and in self-defence. They also said that they have all valid permissions for possession of the weapon.

Khedkar caught in controversies:

In June this year, Pune collector Dr Suhas Diwase wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik about the several demands of Khedkar.

Diwase in his letter to Maharashtra CS reportedly said she(Khedkar)had been demanding a separate cabin, a car, residential quarters and a peon before she joined work at the collectorate, which is not entitled to.

Khedkar was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the collector's office when he was on leave. Later, Khedkar was transferred to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector.

It is also said Khedkar used a red-blue beacon on her private Audi car. She was also accused of misusing the UPSC's relaxations for candidates with disabilities, and from the OBC category.

Reports also said the UPSC had challenged her appointment before the Central Administrative Tribunal and her selected was suspended. However, she was later granted appointment under the OBC and Multiple Disability categories. Questions are now also being raised on why the UPSC made a U-turn on its earlier stand. The Centre has now formed a single-member committee to probe the matter.