Truck driver abducted, rescued from ex-IAS probationer Puja Khedkar's house

A truck driver allegedly abducted by two persons in an SUV after a road rage incident in Navi Mumbai has been rescued from the house of former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar in Pune police said on Monday reported news agency PTIThe Pune police have registered a case against Puja Khedkars mother Manorama Khedkar for allegedly obstructing police when they tried to enter the house to look for the driver on Sunday they saidBesides the Navi Mumbai police have registered a case of kidnapping against the SUV occupants reported PTIPuja Khedkar has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examinationThe alleged abduction took place on MulundAiroli road in Navi Mumbai township adjoining Mumbai on Saturday evening when Prahlad Kumar 22 was driving his concrete mixer truck the police said reported PTIThe truck brushed against a sports utility vehicle following which an argument took place between Kumar and two persons onboard the SUV a Rabale police official saidThe SUV occupants then forcibly took Kumar in their vehicle under the pretext of taking him to a police station and fled the spot the official said reported PTIBased on a complaint lodged by the truck owner Rabale Police in Navi Mumbai registered a case under section 1372 kidnapping of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS against two unidentified persons on Sunday reported PTIThe police later tracked the SUV to PuneBased on technical evidence the Navi Mumbai police found that Kumar was taken to Pune following which a team went there on Sunday the official saidWe traced the vehicle and the victim to a bungalow belonging to Puja Khedkar the official saidInitially Khedkars mother allegedly prevented the police from entering the house and got into a quarrel with them the official saidHowever the police team later managed to enter the house They rescued Kumar from there and brought him back to Navi Mumbai he saidA team from Rabale police station had come in connection with the case of kidnapping of a truck driver who was traced to Manorama Khedkars bungalow in Pune When the police team reached her bungalow for the investigation she did not cooperate with them and allegedly obstructed them from discharging their duties Punes Chatushrungi police stations senior inspector Uttam Bhajanawale said reported PTIHe said after the road rage incident the two car occupants instead of taking the truck driver to a police station took him forcibly in their vehicle to Manoramas bungalowThe team had come to probe the matter however Manorama Khedkar allegedly obstructed them from discharging their duties and did not cooperate with them said Bhajanawale reported PTIFollowing a complaint by a Rabale police officer a case has been registered by the Chatushrungi police in Pune against her under BNS section 221 obstructing any public servant in the discharge of his public functions he saidThe Navi Mumbai police have also issued a notice to Manorama Khedkar to appear before them for questioningFurther investigation is underway to identify the kidnappers and their motive the police added reported PTIPuja Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting facts in her application for the 2022 UPSC civil services examination to avail herself of reservation benefits She has refuted all the allegations against herThe Union Public Service Commission UPSC has initiated a series of actions against Khedkar including lodging of a criminal case for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking her identity while the Delhi Police had lodged an FIR against her for various offences reported PTIAfter the controversy erupted over Puja Khedkars appointment as a probationary IAS officer a video surfaced last year in which her mother was seen threatening a farmer Manorama Khedkar was subsequently arrested and later released on bailWith inputs from PTI