Pune Police have seized a pistol and three bullets from the residence of Manorama Khedkar, the mother of the controversial IAS trainee Puja Khedkar. Manorama Khedkar was arrested on Thursday in Raigad district, following a viral video where she was seen brandishing a gun and threatening villagers over a land dispute.
The police have also confiscated the SUV featured in the video, which has sparked significant public outrage. Manorama Khedkar faces multiple charges, including attempted murder. Along with her husband and three others, she is accused of threatening Pandharinath Pasalkar, a 65-year-old resident of Dhadwali village in Pune’s Mulshi tehsil, on June 4, 2023. According to the prosecution, Manorama Khedkar allegedly aimed the gun at Pasalkar’s head, and he only avoided being shot because he ducked in fear while others restrained her.
The police have requested Manorama’s custodial interrogation to further investigate the case and trace other involved parties. They also intend to check if she had threatened others with the weapon.
Puja Khedkar, currently under scrutiny for alleged misconduct related to her UPSC candidature, faces a criminal case for “misrepresenting and falsifying facts.” The UPSC has issued a show cause notice about her 2022 examination and is considering barring her from future exams. The government has paused her district training program, as she returns to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie for further action.