Bombay High Court quashes order cancelling arms licence of Puja Khedkar's mother

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The Bombay High Court has overturned an order by the Pune police commissioner that had cancelled the arms licence of Manorama Khedkar, the mother of former IAS officer Puja Khedkar. A division bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan, on November 27, remitted the matter back to the Pune police commissioner for fresh consideration. The bench observed that the original notice had not been properly served to Manorama Khedkar, as required by law.

The case stems from a controversial incident in which a viral video captured Manorama Khedkar brandishing a firearm during a heated argument over a land dispute in Dhadwali village. The video sparked significant public outrage, leading to her arrest on July 18 in Hirkaniwadi village, Raigad.

Following the arrest, Manorama Khedkar, along with her husband and five others, was charged under several sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 307 (attempted murder), 144 (unlawful assembly with a deadly weapon), 147 (rioting), and 506 (criminal intimidation), in addition to violations of the Arms Act.

In response to the FIR, the Pune police commissioner issued a notice on July 23, proposing the cancellation of her arms licence. This notice cited the criminal charges against her, and on August 2, an order was passed to revoke her licence. However, Manorama Khedkar challenged the decision in the Bombay High Court, arguing that she had not been given an opportunity to present her case.

As per PTI reports, the court pointed out that there was no evidence to confirm that the notice asking Manorama Khedkar to explain why her arms licence should not be cancelled had been properly served to her, as required by legal procedures. The court noted that she had been in custody at the time of the hearing on August 2, which she could not attend, and was later granted bail.

In light of these procedural errors, the High Court ruled that the order to cancel her arms licence could not stand. The matter was sent back to the Pune police commissioner for a fresh decision, taking into account the proper legal processes.

In a separate development, in September, Puja Khedkar was discharged from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) by the central government with immediate effect. She has been accused of dishonestly availing herself of benefits from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quotas to secure her selection into the service. Puja Khedkar has denied all allegations.

The court's intervention has raised important questions about due process, highlighting the need for fair and transparent legal proceedings in cases involving public figures and their families.

(With inputs from PTI)