MUMBAI — Dilip Khedkar, the father of dismissed IAS officer Puja Khedkar, is now a wanted man, along with his wife Manorama, after police rescued a kidnapped truck helper from their Pune home. According to police officials, Khedkar and his bodyguard Praful Salunkhe abducted a 22-year-old helper, Prahlad Kumar, because they wanted him to compensate for damage to their luxury SUV after it collided with the truck.
The incident began in Airoli, Navi Mumbai, where a cement mixer truck and a Land Cruiser collided. Witnesses saw Kumar being forced into the SUV, which was then driven to the Khedkars’ residence in Pune’s Chaturshringi area. There, Kumar was allegedly held hostage and thrashed.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Dahane confirmed that the kidnapping was motivated by the Khedkars’ demand for compensation for the damages to their expensive vehicle, which costs over Rs 2 crore.
Upon a complaint from the truck owner, police traced the SUV’s location to the Khedkar’s home. When a police team arrived to rescue Kumar, Manorama Khedkar reportedly misbehaved with the officers and allegedly set dogs on them. A case has been registered against her for obstructing government work and other related offenses.
Despite the resistance, police managed to rescue Kumar. The Khedkars told officers they would report to the police station the following day. However, when police returned to the house on Monday morning, they found it locked and the Khedkar family missing, along with their SUV. Officials now believe that Dilip and Manorama Khedkar are on the run.
This is not the first time the family has been embroiled in controversy. Dilip Khedkar’s daughter, Puja Khedkar, made headlines last year after she was sacked as an IAS officer for allegedly forging a backward class certificate and lying about her disabilities to get into the civil services. She was subsequently barred from ever taking the exam again. The family has faced previous allegations of corruption and abuse of power.
Father Of Sacked IAS Officer Puja Khedkar On The Run After Kidnapping Truck Helper
