MUMBAI/ PUNE: A day after the central government formed a one-member panel to probe allegations against the IAS probationary officer Puja Khedkar of misusing benefits from the Other Backward Class (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quota to secure a position in the services, a video of her mother Manorama brandishing a firearm and purportedly threatening villagers in Mulshi taluka, Pune district, started doing the rounds on social media. The video of a heated altercation over a disputed piece of land was taken in June, 2023.
The matter soon escalated to the state police headquarters, with DGP Rashmi Shukla saying on Friday afternoon, “I have asked the superintendent of Pune rural police to get details on the matter.” As the video was widely shared through the day, and created a flutter in the circle of IAS officers, Pune rural police had a harrowing time tracking down the place where the incident had occurred, but late in the evening SP of Pune Rural Police, Pankaj Deshmukh, confirmed to Hindustan Times that an FIR has been registered in Paud police station against Manorama under the Arms Act.
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Cops said, it subsequently came to light that the Khedkars bought the land in the jurisdiction of Paud police station from a Jain family. The land originally belonged to a Pasalkar family who sold it to a Margale family who eventually sold it to the Jains.
According to sources, the altercation in the video was between Kuldeep Pasalkar and Manorama, where the former claimed that his family is the actual land owner and that it was never sold to anyone over the years. The plot is approximately 35 kms from Pune city.
After Manorama’s threats, a non-cognisable complaint was registered in Paud PS last year, where there was no mention of a weapon. After the video did the rounds on Friday, members of Pasalkar family gathered at the police station, said police sources. Deshmukh said, “We need to investigate if the weapon is legal or illegal.”
Sachin Pujari, sub divisional police officer (SDPO) of Haveli division, which comes under the jurisdiction of Pune Rural, said, “We have summoned all the individuals seen in the video to verify everyone’s claims. We will take necessary action on the guilty after the interrogation is complete.”
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Kuldeep Pasalkar told HT, “This is our ancestral land. There is no separation deed of our land – the matter has been in dispute and in court, despite that the Khedkars purchased it from one of our relatives and is threatening us to vacate the land. Last year Manorama arrived on this plot of land with bouncers and threatened us with a gun.”
He added that the Khedkars had illegally constructed structures on the disputed land.
In a statement issued on behalf of the Khedkars, advocate Ravindra Sutar said that the gun, seen in the video, was used to avoid further escalation of the argument and self-defence. Sutar claimed his client has all valid permissions for possession of a gun.
“The land in question was purchased by my client and we have all valid documents to prove it. She was there on June 4, 2023, to clean the plot, but faced hurdles from some people. We have also registered an FIR against accused,” said Sutar, adding the issue on the ownership of the land is pending in court. “We have submitted all necessary documents on the behalf of my client in the court. The matter is sub-judice and hence we don’t wish to comment on this further,” Sutar added.
In his election affidavit before he unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls this year, Dilip Khedkar, Puja’s father mentioned that the family collectively own 8.86 hectares of agricultural land in the Mulshi, which include significant holdings by Manorama and Pooja herself. It was also mentioned that Manorama has the power of attorney over five acres allegedly belonging to Puja.
Meanwhile, on Friday, after traffic police issued a challan on the Audi that Puja drove to her workplace with a Maharashtra government insignia and red beacon, the family has relocated the vehicle to an unknown place. Also, a team from the Pune Municipal Corporation arrived at their residence in National Housing Society, Aundh, to inspect illegal encroachment and construction. Civic officials said they suspect the parking area and the garden of the bungalow where Puja lives was built illegally.
