Pune court extends police custody of Manorama Khedkar amid ongoing investigation

A Pune court on Saturday, 20 July extended the police custody of Manorama D. Khedkar -- mother of IAS-Probationary Officer Puja M.D. Khedkar -- by another two days.

Manorama Khedkar, who was arrested from Mahad town in Raigad, was produced before the Paud Judicial Magistrate First Class Court which granted her police custody for two days, and the same has been extended by another two days till Monday, 22 July.

Arguing for an extension of her police remand, the police informed the court about the progress in the case investigation and said that they needed to identify two other women involved in the matter.

Besides, the police need to probe the involvement of one person, Sandeep Khedkar, and another unknown person in the case pertaining to Manorama Khedkar brandishing and threatening some farmers in Mulshi region allegedly to grab their land.

Countering the police contentions, Manorama Khedkar's lawyer Vijay Jagtap said that the section pertaining to attempt to murder (Section 307) was not applicable to her as no bullet was fired, and hence she was entitled to bail.

Besides, all other charges against his client were bailable offences, and her husband Dilip K.

Khedkar has also been given interim pre-arrest bail. After listening to both sides, the Paud JMFC extended Manorama D. Khedkar's police remand by two more days.

In the last couple of days, the police have recovered the pistol she had allegedly used to threaten the farmers, and seized a car belonging to her. It may be recalled that Manorama D. Khedkar – the mother of IAS-PO Puja M.D. Khedkar – was booked after a July 2023 video showing her threatening some farmers surfaced last week on social media.

Amid a furore, Manorama D. Khedkar went 'missing' as also her husband, Dilip Khedkar, an ex-Maharashtra government officer, but she was tracked to a lodge in Mahad and arrested on Thursday.

However, Dilip Khedkar, who is still untraceable, had applied for and was granted an interim pre-arrest bail till 25 July.

Meanwhile, their daughter, IAS-PO Puja, who was expected to come from Washim to the Pune Police Commissionerate to record her statement on the harassment charges she had levelled against the Pune Collector, did not turn up despite being served two summonses, officials said.

Apart from the series of allegations, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday lodged criminal proceedings for fraud against her with the Delhi Police.