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Police said the kidnapping of a truck driver was a deliberate act on the part of Dilip Khedkar and his wife Manorama, accusing the family of having criminal backgrounds.
Sacked IAS officer Puja Khedkar and her mother Manorama Khedkar.
Police made shocking revelations about sacked IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s family, saying the recent Navi Mumbai kidnapping case was not only a mere road rage incident, but a part of organised crime.
The case pertained to the kidnapping of a truck, allegedly by Dilip Khedkar, Puja’s father, and his bodyguard. The abducted driver, identified as 22-year-old Prahlad Kumar, was rescued from the Khedkars’ home on September 14, within hours of his abduction the day before in the evening. Puja’s mother, Manorama, was accused of preventing police personnel from entering the house and helping the accused escape.
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Officials said Prahlad Kumar, who was driving a concrete mixer truck, grazed Dilip’s Land Cruiser on Mulund-Airoli Road in Navi Mumbai. After a heated altercation, Dilip Khedkar and his bodyguard assaulted the driver and forced him inside their vehicle on the pretext of taking him to the police station.
However, police told a courtroom in Navi Mumbai that this was not a heat-of-the-moment clash, and the driver was deliberately taken and confined to the basement of the Khedkar family house in an unlawful manner, reported NDTV.
Criminal Background Of Khedkars
Police told the court that Dilip and Manorama Khedkar had criminal backgrounds despite being former government officials. They were previously booked in a case of land grabbing at gunpoint, and other cases by their associates were also submitted in the court.
Police detailed how Kumar was tracked to the Khedkars’ house in Pune via his mobile signal, where the team was denied entry by Manorama. The cops accused Manorama of locking the bungalow gates and releasing her dogs to intimidate the police.
When the police team was attempting to enter, Dilip Khedkar, his driver and the vehicle were present at the house. Dilip assured the cops that they would go to the police station themselves, but fled shortly afterwards. The truck driver was rescued from the bungalow.
Critical Evidence Missing
Police said the accused have not cooperated with the investigation into the incident and have gone to great lengths to destroy crucial evidence, including the bungalow’s DVR system, the SUV, and the mobile phones used, according to the NDTV report. “If this was simply a road rage misunderstanding, why erase the footage?” police asked.
They also recalled a conversation with Manorama Khedkar, in which she allegedly said, “We have nothing to do with this case. You do whatever you want.” Police told the court that the investigation cannot move forward until the accused Dilip, who is on the run, is in custody.
Manorama, who was granted interim pre-arrest bail in the truck cleaner abduction case, is also allegedly avoiding contact with investigators. In her bail application, she said she offered him hospitality, including food, but the victim alleged he was given stale food during his confinement.
The police also raised another point of contention, in which Dilip Khedkar claimed the dispute arose over a Rs 5,000 argument with Prahlad Kumar. Police countered by saying, “Does any part of a Land Cruiser cost Rs 5,000?”
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
Navi Mumbai, India, India
October 06, 2025, 19:42 IST
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