Puja Khedkar’s Father, Bodyguard Missing After Truck Driver Abduction

The father of former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) probationer Puja Khedkar and his bodyguard have gone missing along with their vehicle since Sunday, following their alleged involvement in the abduction of a truck driver during a road rage incident in Navi Mumbai, police said Tuesday.

Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, was discharged from service last year amid allegations of submitting fraudulent certificates for OBC and disability quotas to secure her position in the Union Public Service Commission examinations. The family has faced prior scrutiny, including investigations into unaccounted wealth and criminal intimidation cases.

Navi Mumbai police identified the suspects as Dilip Khedkar, Puja's father and a retired state government official, and his bodyguard, Praful Salunkhe. The incident occurred Saturday evening on Mulund-Airoli Road when the truck driven by 22-year-old Prahlad Kumar grazed their Land Cruiser SUV, leading to an argument. The duo allegedly forced Kumar into the vehicle and drove him to the family's bungalow in Pune's Baner area to demand compensation for the damage, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Pankaj Dahane.

Kumar was rescued within hours on Sunday after police tracked the SUV to the Khedkar residence. However, efforts to apprehend the accused were thwarted when Puja's mother, Manorama Khedkar, blocked officers from entering the premises, promising to surrender the suspects by 3 p.m. She later reneged, reportedly aiding their escape by removing the vehicle and unleashing guard dogs to deter the team.

A case was registered against Manorama under Section 221 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for obstructing public servants. She has also vanished, with a joint Pune-Navi Mumbai police team finding the bungalow empty during a Monday search, forcing entry over the gate.

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Despite extensive efforts, police have yet to locate Dilip Khedkar, Salunkhe, or the SUV. "The abduction was clearly an attempt to extract compensation," Dahane told reporters, adding that investigations continue amid the family's history of controversies, including Manorama's prior arrest for brandishing a firearm in a land dispute. Authorities urge the fugitives to surrender as they intensify searches across Pune and Navi Mumbai.

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