Puja Khedkar Case: Engineering Firm Linked To Manorama Khedkar In Talawade Sealed; Collector Suhas Diwase Reacts To Allegations

The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on Friday sealed an engineering firm linked to the mother of controversial probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar over unpaid property tax amounting to nearly ₹2 lakh, municipal officials said.

The junior bureaucrat's mother, Manorama Khedkar, is currently in the custody of Pune police in a criminal case.

The PCMC sealed the defunct firm — Thermoverita India Pvt Ltd — located in the Talawade area over unpaid property dues.

Notably, Puja Khedkar, while applying for a disability certificate at the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) for selection into civil services under quota, had given the engineering firm's location as her residential address.

"The property tax for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 for Thermoverita India Pvt Ltd has been pending for the last two years. Additionally, the current year's outstanding is also pending. As their dues were unpaid in 2023, first they (owner) were issued notices and later as a graded response, we first snapped their water connection. Since the dues are unpaid for the last two years, we as a next procedure, sealed the property," said PCMC Commissioner Shekhar Singh.

The total outstanding for the last two years was ₹1.96 lakh and if the current year's dues are added, the pending amount goes up to ₹2.77 lakh, he said.

Manorama Khedkar was arrested on Thursday by the Pune rural police for allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute at Dhadwali village in Mulshi taluka in 2023.

'Puja Khedkar to record her statement tomorrow'

Puja Khedkar is expected to meet the Pune Police tomorrow and record her statement pertaining to allegations of harassment levelled against the Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase, Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said on Friday.

"We have issued a second summons to her seeking her presence to record her statement. She has indicated that she will be coming here. We shall wait," Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said. He added that Khedkar was issued the first summons calling her on July 18, but she failed to turn up, after which the second summons was served to her in Washim. Kumar said that in case she does not turn up even on Saturday, then the Pune Police will examine the situation and take appropriate measures.

Meanwhile, Diwase reacted to the allegations of harassment made against him. He said, "I have not received any complaint copy yet so there is nothing to respond to on the allegations."