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Manorama was arrested at the Paud police station after being brought into custody from the Mahad region in the Raigad district.
Manorama Khedkar, the controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s mother, was taken into custody by the rural police in the Indian city of Pune on Thursday (July 18) in connection with a complaint claiming she had threatened farmers with a gun.
Manorama was arrested at the Paud police station after being brought into custody from the Mahad region in the Raigad district. According to the police, she will be produced in court later.
On July 12, an FIR was filed at the Paud police station against Puja’s mother, father Diliprao Khedkar, people of the National Housing Society in Baner, Ambadas Khedkar of Ambi village in Haveli, and others. This was in response to a complaint made by farmer Pandharinath Pasalkar, 65.
Manorama and the other accused were arrested by the police on charges of violating the Arms Act and sections 323, 504, 506, 143, 144, 147, 148, and 149 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The FIR was filed after a video of Manorama pointing a gun at a farmer appeared on social media.
In the video, Manorama, along with several bouncers, is seen holding a pistol and arguing with a farmer who seems to oppose her farming on disputed land. The incident reportedly occurred on June 5, 2023, in Dhadawali village, Mulshi tehsil, Pune.
Puja’s mother received a show-cause notice from Pune City Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar on July 13 requesting her to explain why her gun licence should not be revoked.
In the notice, Kumar stated that Manorama allegedly violated gun licence regulations and that her irresponsible actions could potentially threaten public safety. Therefore, she is deemed unfit to hold a gun licence.
The Pune police commissioner requested Manorama to reply to the show cause notice within 10 days, or they would start the process of revoking her gun license.
This comes as her daughter, Puja is under investigation for her actions during her time at the Pune district Collectorate, including the alleged misuse of OBC and PwBD quotas to pass the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
(With inputs from agencies)
