Pune city council warns Khedkar’s mother over ‘illegal constructions’
The Pune Municipal Corporation on Saturday issued a notice to Manorama Khedkar, mother of controversial IAS officer Puja Khedkar, stating that the “unauthorised constructions” adjoining the boundary wall of their bungalow be removed within seven days, officials said.
The police have also registered an FIR against the IAS probationer’s parents Manorama and Dilip Khedkar, besides five others, days after a video surfaced allegedly showing Manorama threatening some people with a gun over a land dispute.
The 34-year-old civil servant is in the spotlight for allegedly misusing the quota for disabled and other backward classes (OBC) to secure a position in the IAS.
On Saturday night, officials of the Pune Municipal Corporation tried to serve the notice to Manorama Khedkar at the bungalow ‘Om Deep’, located on Baner Road in the city, but got no response after ringing the doorbell. The officials then pasted the notice on the main gate of the bungalow.
“We have received a complaint regarding the constructions placed outside your bungalow which are causing obstruction to the people. Kindly remove the unauthorized constructions adjoining the boundary wall of the bungalow within the next seven days,” the notice read.
The Pune rural police have arrested Manorama Khedkar, Dilip Khedkar and five others under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including Section 323 (Dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property), at Paud police station, an official said.
In the two-minute video, Manorama Khedkar, accompanied by her security guards, is seen getting into a heated argument with some people at gunpoint in Dhadwali village in Mulshi tehsil of Pune.
An official said the incident was over a piece of land bought by Dilip Khedkar, a retired Maharashtra government official. Locals alleged that the Khedkars had encroached on the land of neighbouring farmers.
In a fresh setback for Puja Khedkar, the Pune city traffic police on Thursday issued a notice to a private company over the unauthorised use of a flashing light on a private car bearing the ‘Maharashtra Government’ signboard that the probationary IAS officer was using.
“The luxury car belongs to a private company. Thermo Verita Engineering Pvt Ltd has been issued a notice to bring the car to the nearest police station for further investigation. In case of default, Pune police will initiate legal action,” a senior officer said on Saturday.
The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) has issued a notice to a private company that is the registered owner of the Audi car used by Khedkar.
Notably, the Centre on Thursday constituted a one-member committee to re-examine the documents submitted by Puja Khedkar to secure her candidacy for the civil services examination and subsequently for selection into the service.
Puja Khedkar, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who will complete her 2023 batch, is on probation and currently posted in her home state of Maharashtra.
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First print: Jul 13, 2024 | 9:51 PM IST