FIR against trainee IAS officer Pooja Khedkar's parents

The Pune Rural Police has registered an FIR against Manorama Khedkar and Dilip Khedkar, parents of controversial trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, and five others based on a complaint by a farmer who alleged that Manorama threatened him.

A purported video of Manorama brandishing a firearm and threatening villagers began doing the rounds on social media a day after the Central government formed a single-member panel to probe allegations against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar of misusing the Other Backward Class (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quotas to secure a position in the services.

The FIR under sections 323, 504, and 506 of the IPC was registered on the night of 12 July at Paud police station. Charges under the Arms Act have also been included, senior police inspector Manoj Yadav said.

“The Police have registered an FIR against Manorama Khedkar, Dilip Khedkar, parents of trainee IAS officer Pooja Khedkar and five others. The FIR was filed last night at Paud police station based on the complaint of a local farmer who alleged that he was threatened by Manoram Khedkar. Charges under the Arms Act have also been included,” Pune Rural Police said.

Dilip Khedkar is a retired Maharashtra government official. Locals claimed that the Khedkar family tried to take over the land of neighbouring farmers with the help of bouncers and threatened the farmers. Farmer Kuldeep Pasalkar claimed that Manorama was usurping his land.

Pune Police superintendent Pankaj Deshmukh said on Friday night that the incident took place in Dhadavali village on 5 June 2023. The farmers filed a complaint then, but there was no mention of a firearm in the complaint. Pune Police are investigating whether the firearm seen with Manorama is licensed or not.

The Khedkar family bought 25 acres of land in Mulshi tehsil of Pune. However, they claimed that a part of it was occupied by farmers. Due to this, Manorama went to the spot with her security guards and threatened the farmers with a firearm. In the video, she is heard saying that the land is under her name.

Pooja Khedkar's controversies

Pooja Khedkar is accused of misusing the disability and OBC reservation quotas to secure her rank in the IAS. In an affidavit to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Pooja has claimed that she is mentally challenged and also has problems with her eyesight, despite the fact that she refused to take the mandatory medical test six times.

According to several media reports, Pooja's first medical test was scheduled in Delhi AIIMS in April 2022. She refused to appear for it, citing Covid concerns.

Also according to media reports, there is a fine of Rs 26,000 pending on the Audi car in which Pooja used to travel during her posting, which bore red-blue lights and a Maharashtra government sticker. The vehicle allegedly has 21 pending challans for breaking traffic rules like speeding, jumping signals and refusing to stop when asked by the police since 2022, and is registered in the name of a private engineering company.

The RTO issued a notice to the engineering company on 11 July. The next day, an RTO official said Pune RTO had issued a notice to a Pune-based private limited company asking it to present the Audi to the RTO immediately.

Unreasonable demands

Pooja demanded a government-sanctioned vehicle with a VIP number plate, residence, staff, chamber, and a constable before she was appointed as assistant collector in Pune. When the demands, granted only to senior officials, were not met, she usurped senior officer Ajay More's chamber and changed his nameplate to hers.

She claimed to belong to the OBC category, but the 34-year-old holds property worth about Rs 17-22 crore. While submitting details of her immovable property to the government before joining in 2023, Pooja stated that she bought two plots of land in Mhalunge, Pune in 2015, one plot worth about Rs 42 lakh and the other Rs 43 lakh. The market value of both plots is between Rs 6 and 8 crore.

In 2018, Pooja bought 4.74 hectares of land in the Dhaneri area of ​​Pune for Rs 20,79,000, currently priced at Rs 3 to 4 crore. In 2020, she bought a 724 sq ft flat in Kendhwa for Rs 44,90,000, worth Rs 75 lakh at present.

The Centre stated that an additional secretary will investigate this case. The purpose of the investigation will be to verify the claims and other details of the candidature of Khedkar, a 2023 batch officer. The committee will submit its report in two weeks.

Refusing to comment on the matter, she maintains that she has no right to say anything. "I will present my side before the committee," she has told media outlets.