Puja Khedkar’s Mother Arrested Over Land Dispute in Pune
Manorama Khedkar, the mother of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, has been remanded in police custody until July 20 by a local court in Pune, Maharashtra. She was arrested for allegedly threatening a person with a gun over a land dispute in June last year.
After her arrest, Manorama was produced before the Judicial Magistrate Court in Pune. The prosecution informed the court that Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code was added to the FIR against her, along with other charges related to unlawful assembly, rioting, criminal intimidation, and the Arms Act.
Manorama was arrested from a lodge in Raigad district, where she was hiding. The prosecution alleged that she, along with her husband and three others, threatened the complainant with a gun and nearly pulled the trigger. The defence counsel argued that the case is an afterthought and that there are no valid contentions regarding Section 307 in the FIR.
The Public Prosecutor presented a viral video of the incident and informed the court that Manorama is an influential person with political contacts. The court granted police custody to investigate further and locate other accused individuals.
This development comes amidst controversy surrounding Puja Khedkar’s claims regarding disability and OBC certificates and her behaviour during her tenure at the Pune Collector office.
Doubts Revealed
IAS probationer -: An IAS probationer is someone who is training to become an Indian Administrative Service officer. They are not yet fully qualified but are learning the job.
remanded -: Remanded means that the court has ordered someone to stay in police custody for a certain period. It is usually done to investigate the case further.
police custody -: Police custody means that the person is kept in a police station or jail while the police investigate the case. They are not free to go home.
land dispute -: A land dispute is a disagreement over who owns or has the right to use a piece of land. It can involve arguments and sometimes even legal action.
prosecution -: The prosecution is the legal team that tries to prove someone is guilty of a crime in court. They present evidence and argue the case against the accused.
attempt to murder -: Attempt to murder means trying to kill someone but not succeeding. It is a very serious crime.
criminal intimidation -: Criminal intimidation means threatening someone to make them scared or to force them to do something. It is against the law.
OBC certificates -: OBC certificates are documents that prove someone belongs to the Other Backward Classes, a category in India that gets certain benefits like reservations in jobs and education.