Sacked IAS officer Puja Khedkar's father abducted truck helper to recover SUV damage, say police

Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) trainee officer Puja Khedkar

Dilip Khedkar, father of dismissed IAS officer Puja Khedkar, has been accused of abducting a truck helper along with his bodyguard after a collision involving their luxury Land Cruiser SUV worth over Rs 2 crore. According to a report by NDTV, police said the helper, 22-year-old Prahlad Kumar, was allegedly kidnapped so that he could be forced to pay for the damage caused to the car.

The report said, according to witnesses, after the accident with a cement mixer at Airoli in Navi Mumbai, Kumar was forced into the SUV and driven away. He was then taken to the Khedkars’ residence in Pune’s Chaturshringi, where he was reportedly beaten and held captive. “Dilip Khedkar and his bodyguard were in the car when the accident occurred. They kidnapped the truck's helper because they wanted him to compensate them for the damage caused to it,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Dahane has been quoted.

The dramatic events did not end there. When officials arrived at the Chaturshringi home to rescue Kumar, they were allegedly confronted by Manorama Khedkar, Dilip’s wife, as per the report. She is accused of unleashing dogs on the police team and misbehaving with them. A notice pasted on the property by the officers was also allegedly torn down.

The police, however, managed to rescue the kidnapped helper. Dilip and Manorama Khedkar then assured officers that they would report to the police station the following day, it said. Yet, by Monday morning, the Khedkar family had vanished, and the luxury SUV involved in the accident had also gone missing. During a follow-up search, the police questioned domestic staff and seized a mobile phone from the residence. Officials now believe the couple is absconding.

It is known that a case has been filed against Manorama Khedkar for obstructing government officials in their duty, providing false information, destroying evidence, and attempting to shield an accused from legal consequences.

The controversy has placed renewed attention on the family. Puja Khedkar herself had gained notoriety last year during her probationary posting as an IAS officer after she allegedly demanded perks such as a beacon light. Subsequent revelations showed that she had altered her surname, submitted false disability claims, and forged a backward class certificate to enter the civil services. She was ultimately dismissed and permanently barred from retaking the exam.

Adding to the family’s troubled record, Manorama Khedkar had previously drawn attention when she allegedly brandished a pistol and threatened farmers during a land dispute.

With Dilip and Manorama now suspected to be on the run, the police continue their investigation into the kidnapping case and the missing SUV, the report said.