Court Rejects Bail Plea of Puja Khedkar’s Mother in ‘Attempt to Kill’ farmer Case
Court Rejects Bail Plea of Puja Khedkar's Mother in 'Attempt to Kill' farmer Case
A magistrate court has denied the bail application of Manorama Khedkar. Manorama, the mother of controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, is accused of threatening farmers at gunpoint in Pune district. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Sudhir Barde in Paud issued the order on Monday.
The incident came to light when a farmer, Pandharinath Pasalkar (65), lodged an FIR at the Paud police station on July 12. Following the complaint, police apprehended Manorama on July 18 from a lodge in Mahad, Raigad district. Initially, she was remanded to police custody until July 20, which was later extended to July 22.
During Monday’s court proceedings, Manorama was presented before the court and subsequently remanded to judicial custody. She then sought bail through her lawyer. Assistant Public Prosecutor Amar Nanaware opposed the bail request, arguing that Manorama’s political influence and the severity of the offence could lead her to tamper with evidence and hinder the investigation if released. He also contended that there was a risk of her committing a similar offence and possibly escaping, as she had been on the run after the FIR was lodged. Consequently, the court rejected her bail application. Manorama was sent to Yerwada jail under judicial custody.
Based on Pasalkar’s complaint, police had earlier booked Manorama, her husband Dilip Khedkar, Ambadas Khedkar from Ambi village in Haveli and others. Various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act. Later, Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC was added to the FIR, alleging that Manorama attempted to pull the pistol’s trigger to kill Pasalkar but he ducked. Others at the scene also restrained her.
The FIR followed the surfacing of a video on social media and TV channels showing Manorama brandishing a gun at a farmer during a heated argument over disputed land in Dhadawali village, Mulshi tehsil, on June 5, 2023. Following the video’s release, Pasalkar approached the police and filed a complaint. During the investigation, police recovered a pistol, three live cartridges and a Land Cruiser car from the accused.
In related developments, a court in Pune granted ad-interim bail to Dilip Khedkar until July 25, while other accused individuals remain at large. On July 13, Pune city police commissioner Amitesh Kumar issued a show-cause notice to Manorama regarding the cancellation of her gun license, demanding a response within ten days or initiating the cancellation process.
Additionally, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) filed an FIR against Puja Khedkar for allegedly falsifying her identity to gain extra exam attempts beyond the permissible limit. The UPSC has issued a show-cause notice for the cancellation of her selection and potential debarment from future examinations. Puja Khedkar had previously made headlines for allegedly demanding a separate office and unauthorized use of a beacon on a private Audi car, which led to the Pune traffic police seizing the car on July 14 due to inadequate documentation regarding its ownership and registration.
