Prosecution opposes bail plea of former probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar's mother

Pune, Aug 1 (PTI) The prosecution on Thursday opposed the bail plea of Manorama Khedkar, mother of former probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, in a case pertaining to criminal intimidation.

The bail plea of Khedkar is being currently heard before additional sessions judge A N Mare.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Kundlik Choure said the prosecution opposed the bail plea as the accused is politically and economically influential and can tamper with evidence if given bail.

Moreover, the sections under Arms Act are non-bailable, Choure told court.

The court is expected to pronounce the order on the bail application on Friday.

Pune rural Police had launched a search for Manorama and her husband Dilip Khedkar after a video surfaced showing her allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute at Dhadwali village in Pune's Mulshi tehsil in 2023.

The Paud police in Pune rural had booked the Khedkar couple and five others under IPC sections, including 307, 144 (unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon), 147 (rioting) and 506 (criminal intimidation) besides invoking the Arms Act.

Manorama was apprehended from a lodge in Hirkaniwadi village near Mahad in Raigad district.

While Manorama is in judicial custody, Dilip Khedkar has got anticipatory bail in the case.

The UPSC on Wednesday said it has cancelled the provisional candidature of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar and debarred her from all future examinations or selections. PTI SPK BNM