FIR lodged against parents of IAS trainee Pooja Khedkar for allegedly threatening farmer

The Pune Rural Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) at Paud police station against Manorama Khedkar and Dilip Khedkar, parents of IAS trainee Pooja Khedkar, along with five other individuals.

This action follows a complaint by a local farmer, accusing Manorama Khedkar of issuing threats.

As reported by ANI and confirmed by Senior Police Inspector at Paud Police Station, the FIR includes charges under sections 323, 504, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), along with provisions of the Arms Act.

Pooja Khedkar, a 2023 IAS batch officer, is embroiled in controversy over allegations that she falsely claimed to be an OBC non-creamy layer candidate during her UPSC application. Additionally, she asserted visual and mental disabilities but refused medical evaluations to confirm these claims.

A video has surfaced, showing Manorama Khedkar, Pooja’s mother, brandishing a gun and threatening a group of men. The incident, which has gone viral, relates to a land dispute involving a plot purchased by Pooja's father, Dilip Khedkar, in Dhadwali village, Mulshi tehsil, Pune.

Neighbors have accused the Khedkar family of encroaching on adjacent farmland. In the viral video, Manorama Khedkar, escorted by security personnel, is seen engaging in a heated argument and pointing a pistol at a man before concealing it.

"We have taken notice of the video circulating on social media. Once we verify the facts, an investigation will commence to determine if Manorama Khedkar possesses a valid firearm license," a senior official from Pune Rural Police told PTI.

The complainant, farmer Kuldeep Pasalkar, alleged that Manorama Khedkar attempted to forcibly take over his land. "She has been threatening other farmers too. She came to my plot with security guards and menaced us with a firearm," Pasalkar claimed.

Official sources informed PTI that Pooja Khedkar could face termination from service if found guilty of the allegations. The Centre has formed a one-member committee to reassess all documents she submitted for her civil services exam and her subsequent selection.

"The officer may be dismissed if proven guilty. Criminal charges could follow if there is evidence of misrepresentation or document manipulation," a source said.

Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, has been tasked with leading the investigation. The committee has been instructed to deliver its findings within two weeks, according to sources.