Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
Tags:
Journalism of Courage
Hours after Navi Mumbai police rescued a truck helper, who had allegedly been abducted and brought to the residence of dismissed IAS officer Puja Khedkar following a road rage incident, Pune City Police booked her mother, Manorama Khedkar, for obstructing an investigation by Rabale Police station. She allegedly helped the kidnapped suspects flee, prevented police from entering the house and unleashed an aggressive dog to stop the police from conducting a search, police said.
The alleged road rage incident had taken place late in the evening of September 13 at a traffic junction on Mulund-Airoli Road. Prahlad Kumar (22), a resident of Turbhe MIDC in Navi Mumbai had been working as a helper on a concrete mixer truck when it brushed against a car bearing Pune registration number MH12-RP-5000. Police investigation suggests that two men from the car had an altercation with the driver Chandrakumar Chavan and helper Prahlad Kumar. After that they forced Prahlad Kumar to get into their vehicle saying they were taking him to the police station. After that Chavan kept calling Prahlad but there was no reply. A kidnapping case was registered at Rabale Police Station by Navi Mumbai police based on a complaint filed by the owner of the truck Vilas Dherange.
As the Navi Mumbai Police launched a probe, they tracked Prahlad Kumar to Pune and an analysis of technical leads led them to the house of Puja Khedkar, which is located in National Society under the jurisdiction of Chaturshringi Police Station. Officials said that when a team from Rabale Police Station reached the house, Khedkar’s mother, Manorama obstructed the police team from entering their house and did not open the door in spite of repeated orders to do so. The Rabale police team then went to Chaturshringi Police Station and returned, it is suspected that Manorama Khedkar allegedly helped the suspects in the kidnapping case flee with their vehicle. To further obstruct the police from conducting a search of the premises, Manorama allegedly released an aggressive dog on the premises.
But the police managed to enter the bungalow and rescued Prahlad Kumar. Navi Mumbai police are now in the process of identifying the two men who had kidnapped Prahlad Kumar, their link with the Khedkar family and the reason why he was brought to their residence in Pune.
An officer from Chaturshringi police station said, “Based on the complaint registered by the investigation team of Rabale police station, a First Information Report has been registered against Manorama Khedkar and her unidentified accomplices. We have launched a probe.” Police have invoked charges under Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita section 221 for obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions; section 238 for causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender; and section 263 for resistance or obstruction to lawful apprehension of another person.
In September last year, the union government had dismissed Puja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had cancelled her selection. Khedkar was found guilty of cheating and wrongly availing of benefits of Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota. After cancelling her selection, the UPSC had barred her from taking the entrance exam for life. UPSC had found that Khedkar had allegedly availed attempts beyond the permissible limit provided for in the Examination Rules by allegedly faking her identity.
After the controversy surrounding Puja Khedkar, a video of Manorama Khedkar allegedly threatening some farmers at gunpoint had surfaced. She was booked by Pune rural police on the charge of attempt to murder in connection to the June 2023 incident. She was later released on bail.
