Puja Khedkar mother's police custody extended till July 22

Manorama was apprehended on Thursday morning from a lodge, where she was hiding, at Hirkaniwadi village near Mahad in Raigad district.

Public Prosecutor Amar Nanaware told the court on Saturday that there was progress in the investigation as the police had recovered a pistol and a vehicle used in the crime.

Seeking her further custody, the public prosecutor said Manorama had disclosed the names of two male accused seen in the video but was silent on the other two unidentified female accused.

Defence counsel Vijay Jagtap argued that the IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) is not applicable in the case as no bullet was fired and that she deserves bail.

A sessions court here on Thursday granted interim protection from arrest till July 25 to the controversial IAS officer's father Dilip Khedkar.

According to police, Manorama, Dilip and four others threatened one Pandharinath Pasalkar (65) with a gun over a land dispute at Dhadwali village in Mulshi tehsil on June 4, 2023.

Puja Khedkar faces a litany of allegations, including misconduct over power and privileges, misuse of disability and Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) quotas to secure her candidature in the civic service exam and manipulation of her identity to take the exam beyond permissible attempts.

While the Centre has formed a committee to re-examine the documents presented by her to secure her candidature in the civil services examination and then for selection in the service, a criminal case has been registered against her for "misrepresenting and falsifying facts" following a "thorough investigation" by the UPSC.