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The truck driver informed the vehicle’s owner, who then complained, prompting Navi Mumbai Police to launch an investigation.
In a previous case, Puja Khedkar, a 2022-batch IAS officer, was dismissed for alleged misuse of privileges. (File)
The controversy surrounding dismissed IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s family deepened after her father, Dilip Khedkar, was booked for kidnapping a truck driver in Navi Mumbai. Her mother, Manorama Khedkar, has also been charged for obstructing police, and both remain at large.
According to police, the incident occurred on September 13 when a truck allegedly grazed Dilip Khedkar’s SUV near Navi Mumbai. The minor collision led to an argument with the truck driver.
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Following the altercation, Dilip and his bodyguard, Prafulla Salunkhe, allegedly abducted the driver, Pralhad, under the pretense of taking him to the police station. Instead, they drove him nearly 150 km to Pune.
The truck driver informed the vehicle’s owner, who then complained, prompting Navi Mumbai Police to launch an investigation. When officers tracked the vehicle to the Khedkar residence in Pune, they encountered resistance from Manorama Khedkar.
Manorama allegedly refused to open the gate, misbehaved with officers, and even attempted to set dogs on the police. During the search, the car used in the abduction was found on the premises. She has now been booked for obstructing government work and attempting to destroy evidence.
The kidnapped cleaner, Pralhad, was later rescued safely.
This is not the first time the Khedkar family has faced criminal allegations. Puja Khedkar herself was dismissed from service earlier this year amid accusations of misusing OBC and disability quotas in the UPSC exam. Videos had also surfaced in the past showing her mother threatening a farmer with a pistol. Cases of assault, intimidation, and abuse have previously been filed against the family.
With Dilip Khedkar now facing kidnapping charges and both parents absconding, authorities are under pressure to act firmly against what critics call a pattern of unchecked misconduct by the family.
About the Author
Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ…Read More
Covering day-to-day national and international news for the last nine years across print and digital. Associated with News18.com as Chief Sub-Editor since 2022, covering innumerable big and small events, includ… Read More
September 16, 2025, 08:39 IST
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