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IAS Puja Khedkar Used OBC Quota To Get Admission In MBBS; ‘She Didn’t Submit Disability Certificate’, Claims College Director

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IAS Puja Khedkar Used OBC Quota To Get Admission In MBBS; ‘She Didn’t Submit Disability Certificate’, Claims College Director

The trainee IAS officer, Puja Khedkar, who is at the center of a controversy involving alleged misuse of power and violation of the appointment rules, secured admission to an MBBS college using the OBC non-creamy layer quota, reports showed on Monday. 

Khedkar was admitted to Pune’s Kashibai Navale Medical College under the OBC Nomadic Tribe-3 category, reserved for the Vanjari community. 

At the time of her admission, her father was a serving bureaucrat in Maharashtra. Reports suggest that Khedkar’s admission was through the private college’s entrance examination, bypassing her Common Entrance Test (CET) score.

However, Arvind Bhore, the director of Kashibai Navale Medical College, contested this claim, stating that Khedkar was admitted in 2007 through the CET. Bhore also noted that she had submitted the necessary certificates, along with a medical fitness certificate that did not mention any disability.

The scrutiny of Khedkar’s non-creamy OBC status and her Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) certificate intensified after she allegedly demanded a separate cabin and staff during her posting in Pune, which led to her abrupt transfer to Washim district.

In August 2022, Khedkar applied for a PwBD certificate in Pune, but the medical board denied her request. 

It was reported that the board found it “not possible” to issue the certificate after examining her.

Khedkar’s father defends legitimacy of her disability certificate

Khedkar’s father, retired bureaucrat Dilip Khedkar, defended the legitimacy of the disability certificate, stating that Puja suffers from vision impairment exceeding 40 per cent, meeting the criteria for disability. 

He further claimed that a panel of medical experts verified her disabilities before issuing the certificate.

Khedkar mentioned that his daughter has a certain category of mental illness, which was also verified by medical professionals before the disability certificate was granted.

Pune police unable to track down Khedkar’s parents    

Meanwhile, Police have been unable to trace Khedkar’s parents as a land dispute case was registered against them after a video of her mother threatening a farmer with a pistol in Pune district went viral.

As per reports, a team of Pune Rural police visited the bungalow of Manorama and Dilip Khedkar in the Baner area of the city on Monday morning. But it was unable to enter the premises as there was no response, and doors were locked from the inside.

The police are conducting searches in Pune and other areas to find the controversial trainee IAS officer’s parents. 

An FIR was registered against the Khedkar couple and five others after a video showing Manorama allegedly threatening some persons with a gun over a land dispute emerged.

“A case has been registered at Paud police station. But the Khedkars have not visited the police station for inquiry and have turned off their mobile phones. Our teams are looking for them. Once found, they will be questioned, and legal action will be taken against them,” an official told.

The Khedkars and five others have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), including section 323 (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property) and the Arms Act.

The case was registered days after a video surfaced on social media, which showed Manorama, accompanied by her security guards, engaged in a heated argument with some people with a pistol in her hand in Dhadwali village in Pune’s Mulshi tehsil. The police are looking for others involved in the incident, including the guards, seen in the video.

Crime

Mumbai Police seize heroin valued at over Rs 10 crore, arrest three

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Three people were arrested after the Mumbai Crime Branch seized more than 2 kg of heroin, valued at over Rs 10 crore, in two separate operations, officials said on Tuesday.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, Unit 11 of the Mumbai Crime Branch recovered a total of 2.032 kg of heroin from the three suspects. The seized narcotics have an estimated market value of Rs 10.16 crore, making the operation a major drug seizure by the Mumbai Police.

According to officials, the first operation was conducted on October 14 in Kandivali West after the Crime Branch received secret information about the suspected movement of narcotics in the area.

During the operation, the police seized 758 grams of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 3.79 crore, from two suspects.

The investigation was subsequently extended based on information obtained during the interrogation of the two arrested individuals, according to the officials.

Acting on these leads, officials said that the Crime Branch conducted another operation on October 17 and recovered an additional 1.274 kg of heroin, worth approximately Rs 6.37 crore, from a third suspect.

With the recovery made in the second operation, the total quantity of heroin seized from the three suspects reached 2.032 kg, with the combined estimated value of the contraband standing at Rs 10.16 crore, officials said.

The Mumbai Police have registered a case against the accused under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and have launched a further investigation into the alleged drug trafficking network.

According to police, preliminary findings indicate that the arrested individuals may be linked to a heroin-smuggling syndicate suspected to be operating across state borders, officials said.

Investigators are examining the network’s activities and attempting to establish the extent of its operations.

The police are also working to identify and trace the suppliers who allegedly provided the seized heroin, along with other individuals suspected of involvement in the purchase, distribution and sale of the illegal narcotics.

An investigation is underway to determine the source of the contraband, officials said.

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Maharashtra

Maha political showdowns at Dussehra rallies today as Shinde, Uddhav stage shows of strength

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On the auspicious occasion of Vijayadashami, rival factions Shiv Sena(UBT) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are holding their respective rallies in Mumbai on Tuesday. This event is set to witness a barrage of political accusations and counter-accusations.

The Uddhav Sena has built up momentum for the gathering by releasing two to three teasers on social media. The annual event, a cornerstone of Maharashtrian politics originally initiated by Balasaheb Thackeray, has transformed into a fierce battle of legacy, political survival, and strength-assertion following the historic split in the party.

Ever since the split in the Shiv Sena, the Dussehra rallies of both parties have transcended into mere shows of strength, turning into platforms to claim the political legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray. This year’s rallies remain crucial in terms of organisational strength, grip over party cadres, and the future political roadmap.

During the gathering at the Nesco Center in Goregaon, Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief leader Eknath Shinde is expected to counter criticism from the Thackeray faction while highlighting the achievements of the Mahayuti government. In light of severe drought conditions across the state, he has urged party workers to visit the homes of drought victims to tie auspicious torans of aid rather than travelling to Mumbai for the Dussehra rally.

The Uddhav Sena’s Dussehra rally will take place at Shivaji Park. Uddhav Thackeray is likely to target the state and central governments over several issues, including the BJP, SIR, alleged irregularities in voter lists, the law and order situation following the firing incident involving actor Tiger Shroff, and police crackdowns on protesting students.

While Thackeray’s camp remains aligned with the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Shinde’s faction shares power within the state government. Both camps claim the authentic ideological legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray, setting the stage for a fiery exchange of political rhetoric. The political atmosphere across Mumbai has been dominated by aggressive banner-wars, teasers, and hectic preparations.

Fresh off a fiery, combative speech at the Mumbai Press Club on Saturday, Uddhav Thackeray openly declared, “Yes, we want to overthrow this regime achieved through vote theft; we stand for regime change.” Thackeray is expected to scale up his attack. All eyes are on his stance concerning the Central government, the Election Commission, and the ruling coalition.

In light of severe drought conditions across parts of Maharashtra, Deputy CM Shinde has urged party cadres to avoid massive travel to Mumbai and instead focus ground-level efforts on reaching out to distressed farming families with relief material. Shinde’s faction has framed its gathering around public welfare and state development, aiming to counter Thackeray’s anti-establishment narrative.

With fierce exchanges expected over governance, constitutional integrity, and the true ownership of the Shiv Sena identity, Tuesday’s rallies are less about traditional festive greetings and more about a high-stakes rehearsal for future electoral dominance in Maharashtra. As political heavyweights take the stage, the ultimate question for observers is not just who draws the larger crowd, but whose message will ultimately capture the pulse of Maharashtra.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Police recover five empty shells, two live cartridges in Tiger Shroff firing case

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Mumbai Police have recovered five empty bullet shells and two live cartridges from the site of the firing incident involving Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff in Mumbai’s Juhu area. According to police, the live cartridges fell out of the firearm used by the accused, Rehan, after his gun jammed.

Phool Singh, who was initially described as a minor, has also been confirmed to be an adult by Mumbai Police. He allegedly fired five rounds during the incident.

A senior Mumbai Police official said investigators have been examining CCTV footage from the football ground and surrounding areas over the past several weeks to establish the accused’s movements and determine whether they had conducted reconnaissance before the incident.

Some CCTV footage reportedly shows the accused conducting a recce of the location. Police are also examining footage to identify any other suspicious individuals who may have visited the Juhu football ground to conduct reconnaissance.

Investigators are gathering information about Tiger Shroff’s daily routine and the people who were aware of his movements, particularly his schedule related to public appearances and events. The police are examining whether this information could have helped the accused plan the attack.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is scheduled to bring the three arrested accused from Rajasthan to Mumbai on Tuesday after obtaining transit remand from a court in Kota on Monday.

In view of the security concerns, the police team decided to remain in Rajasthan overnight and travel to Mumbai with the accused on Tuesday. The Mumbai and Rajasthan Police conducted a security assessment before finalising the arrangements.

The accused were kept overnight in the lock-up of the Kota Railway Colony police station under tight security amid concerns about a possible escape.

Rehan, Phool Singh and Hrithik Kumar were arrested in Rajasthan’s Kota on Monday in connection with the firing incident involving Tiger Shroff.

The three men have been charged with an attempt to murder and are accused of firing multiple rounds at the actor’s car on Sunday evening as he was leaving after playing a football match in Mumbai’s Juhu area.

Investigators are also probing the suspects’ movements following the incident. According to sources, the accused allegedly planned to travel by train to Jaipur, continue to Delhi by bus and, then escape to Nepal.

However, Kota Police intercepted them at the railway station before they could proceed with the alleged plan.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is continuing its investigation to establish the sequence of events, determine the motive behind the firing and identify whether anyone else was involved in planning or executing the attack.

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