IAS Officer Puja Khedkar’s Mother Brandishing Gun At Farmers In Old Video Sparks Fresh Row

Dilip Khedkar, who is Puja's father and a retired IAS officer, has been accused of amassing property and obtaining land in various places, such as 25 acres in the Mulshi taluka of Pune district.

An undated video featuring Manorama Khedkar, the mother of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is in the eye of a storm, has gone viral. In the video, Manorama can be seen holding a gun and threatening a group of men. This has added to the controversies surrounding the young IAS trainee, who is under scrutiny for her extravagant demands.

Puja's father, Dilip Khedkar, a retired IAS officer, is also accused of accumulating property worth crores of rupees and acquiring land in multiple locations, including 25 acres in Mulshi taluka of Pune district.

However, the locals claim that the family also attempted to take over the neighbouring farmers' land. When the farmers resisted, Manorama Khedkar arrived at the property with her security personnel.

A local recorded a two-minute video that quickly spread on X, showing Manorama Khedkar angrily confronting a man while brandishing a pistol. Approaching him, she waved the gun in his face before quickly hiding it upon noticing the camera. Speaking in Marathi, she demanded the man show her the land documents, claiming the property was registered under her name. The man insisted the documents were in his name and the matter was before the court. He then asked for a court order, prompting Manorama to warn him against trying to "lecture" her on the rules.

The farmers claim that they attempted to lodge a complaint against the family at Pune's Paud Police Station but were refused.

Puja Khedkar, an IAS officer from Maharashtra who was relocated from Pune to Washim due to suspected misuse of authority, is said to have presented fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates in order to pass the civil services exam.

Khedkar, who came under scrutiny for using her private Audi car equipped with a red-blue beacon and VIP number plate, purportedly took the civil services exam under the OBC and visually impaired categories and also submitted a document certifying mental illness.

Khedkar is being investigated for using her personal Audi car equipped with a red-blue beacon light and a VIP number plate. Additionally, she affixed a 'Maharashtra government' sign to her private vehicle.

She has been reassigned to the Washim district to complete her training, after which she would serve as a "supernumerary assistant collector" until July 30, 2025.

A single-member committee has been established by the Centre to investigate the numerous allegations against the trainee IAS officer. Her candidature is also now in question.