In another setback for the probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is in the midst of a controversy over alleged misuse of power and privileges, an FIR has been registered against her parents, Dilip Khedkar and Manorama Khedkar.
According to media reports, the FIR has been registered following a complaint filed against the parents of Puja Khedkar and five others by a farmer who claimed that he was threatened by Manorama with a gun.
"The FIR has been filed under sections 323, 504, 506 of IPC. Charges under the Arms Act have also been included," news agency ANI quoted Manoj Yadav, senior police inspector, Paud Police Station in Pune, as saying.
Recently, a video showing Manorama brandishing a gun and threatening a group of people had gone viral.
The incident involved a parcel of land bought in Dhadwali village in Pune's Mulshi tehsil by Puja Khedkar's father, a retired Maharashtra government officer.
According to the locals, the land of neighbouring farmers was encroached by Khedkars.
The two-minute viral video showed Manorama Khedkar, accompanied by her security guards, engaged in a heated argument with a group of people. She was seen yelling at a man with a gun in her hand.
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A farmer, identified as Kuldeep Pasalkar, claimed Manorama Khedkar was forcefully trying to usurp his land. "She has been threatening other farmers as well. She visited my plot along with some security guards and started threatening us while holding a firearm in her hand," Pasalkar alleged.
The Pune Rural Police had, on Friday, said the investigation would show if she possessed the license for the gun.
"We have taken cognisance of the video that is circulating on social media platforms. Once facts are ascertained, we will start a probe. We will investigate if Manorama Khedkar has a license for the firearm," a senior Pune Rural police official was quoted as saying by PTI.
