Khedkar case: Bodyguard reveals family left home after police visit
What's the story
The investigation into the Khedkar case has taken a new turn with the arrest of bodyguard Praful Salunkhe. Salunkhe revealed to the police that Manorama Khedkar had asked him and Dilip Khedkar to leave their Pune home after a police visit on September 14. He said he and Dilip left in the same Toyota Land Cruiser while Manorama took a different vehicle.
Vehicle recovery
Salunkhe's statement leads to new developments
Salunkhe also said that Dilip asked the driver to ditch the SUV and go underground. The Navi Mumbai police have now tracked the vehicle's location and are ready to seize it. Meanwhile, they are looking for an unidentified person who deleted CCTV footage from the family's home. This missing footage is suspected to have recorded both the Khedkars's escape and a truck helper's presence at their residence.
Arrest details
Salunkhe arrested in connection with road rage incident
Salunkhe was arrested in connection with a road rage incident where a truck helper was kidnapped and confined. He was detained on Friday from Sindhkhed in Dhule district and is currently in police custody till September 24, according to Rahul Dhas, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Rabale Division, Navi Mumbai. The case originated from a clash on Mulund-Airoli Road on September 13 between a concrete mixer truck and a Toyota Land Cruiser.
Ongoing search
The shocking details of the case
After the road rage incident, Dilip and Salunkhe allegedly kidnapped truck helper Pralhad Kumar Chouhan and took him to the Khedkars's Pune home. Chouhan was found confined in a watchman's room with stale food and threats of extortion. He was rescued by police despite resistance from Manorama Khedkar. The accused have been booked under various sections, including kidnapping and wrongful confinement for extortion.
Additional charges
Puja Khedkar's legal troubles continue to mount
Puja Khedkar, daughter of the Khedkars, is facing separate legal troubles for allegedly misusing caste and disability benefits in her UPSC civil services application. The UPSC has lodged a criminal complaint, and the Delhi Police have registered an FIR in this regard. ACP Dhas said that police are now preparing to issue a lookout notice against Dilip and Manorama Khedkar as part of their ongoing investigation into the case.