A Navi Mumbai court on Wednesday rejected the pre-arrest bail plea of Dilip Khedkar, the father of sacked IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, in a case involving the alleged abduction of a truck driver following a road rage incident last month. The incident, which occurred on September 13, 2025, between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, has gained widespread attention due to the accused’s high social and educational standing. During the hearing, police alleged that Dilip Khedkar and his wife, Manorama, were deliberately obstructing the investigation and attempting to misuse their knowledge of the law.
They were accused of tampering with crucial evidence, including the disappearance of the CCTV DVR, hiding the SUV involved in the incident, and concealing the driver’s mobile phone. The prosecution emphasized that this case was not a simple road rage altercation but constituted an act of organised crime. The court, presided over by Additional Sessions Judge CV Marathe, took note of these arguments before denying the bail plea, and a detailed order is expected to follow soon.
The police further accused the couple of showing deliberate non-cooperation. Manorama Khedkar, who currently enjoys interim protection from arrest, allegedly failed to appear for questioning despite being granted interim bail. Investigators stated that she visited the police station only after sunset in an apparent attempt to exploit the law prohibiting interrogation of women during nighttime hours. The police also claimed that her bail plea contained misleading statements, including an assertion that the abducted driver had been “served good food.” The driver, however, denied this, claiming he was given “stale food” during his unlawful detention. The prosecution’s version detailed that the case began after a concrete mixer truck allegedly brushed past the Khedkars’ car at a traffic signal, triggering an argument between the truck’s crew and the Khedkar family.
According to investigators, Dilip Khedkar and his driver forcibly took the truck helper, identified as Prahlad Kumar, into their vehicle under the pretext of taking him to a police station. Following this, Kumar’s phone went unreachable, prompting the truck driver, Chandrakumar Chavan, and the truck owner to file a kidnapping complaint at Rabale police station. The vehicle was later traced to the Khedkars’ residence, where Manorama reportedly tried to obstruct police entry.
In her defense, Manorama stated that her husband had only brought Kumar home to negotiate compensation for the accident damage and that he was safely dropped off at the Pune bus stand the next morning. Despite her explanation, police remain unconvinced and are pursuing charges of evidence destruction and obstruction of justice.
This case has drawn additional attention due to its connection to the previously disgraced IAS probationer, Puja Khedkar, who was dismissed for allegedly misusing reservation benefits. Meanwhile, Dilip Khedkar has been absconding since the incident on the Mulund-Airoli stretch and filed for anticipatory bail under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). The prosecution maintains that his continued evasion, coupled with the couple’s coordinated actions to mislead investigators, demonstrates a premeditated attempt to interfere with the course of justice, transforming what initially appeared to be a minor road altercation into a complex case of organised criminal conduct.
