'Indubai And Fake ID': How IAS Puja Khedkar's Mother Played Hide-And-Seek With Police

Mumbai: On the run for several days, with police looking out for her, Manorama Khedkar, the mother of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, used a fake Aadhaar card to get entry into a lodge in Maharashtra's Raigad district. She was arrested by the police on Thursday and has been sent to two days of police custody.  

Introduced Herself as ‘Indubai’ at Lodge

Manorama Khedkar was accompanied by her cab driver to the lodge. She introduced herself as ‘Indubai’ and displayed a fake Aadhaar Card which validated her claims. She also told the lodge staff that the cab driver was his son, sources said. Manorama Khedkar was today arrested after police tracked down her GPS. 

Charged With Attempt to Murder 

The Paud police in Pune rural have booked Manorama Khedkar, her husband, and five others under IPC sections, including 307, 144 (unlawful assembly armed with a deadly weapon), 147 (rioting), and 506 (criminal intimidation) besides invoking the Arms Act. Two months ago, Manorama Khedkar, accompanied by the bouncers, brandished a pistol at the farmers. She also confronted them. The Khedkar family is now accused of trying to expand their holdings by forcibly taking land from neighboring farmers. She is facing multiple charges, including an attempt to murder. A Pune court has remanded her in police custody for two days. 

Husband Still on Run

Her husband Dilip Khedkar is yet to be arrested. The Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau unit has received a complaint seeking an open inquiry against Puja Khedkar's father Dilip Khedkar, a retired government official, in connection with alleged disproportionate assets. 

Daughter Puja Khedkar Training Put on Hold

Puja Khedkar, the 2023-batch IAS officer, is under scrutiny for her claims regarding disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates in her Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidature, as well as her conduct during tenure at the Pune collector's office. She has been summoned back to LBSNAA, Mussoorie after her district training was put on hold by the Maharashtra Government.