THE Bombay High Court has quashed an order passed by the Pune police commissioner cancelling the arms licence of former IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s mother Manorama Khedkar. A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan on November 27 remitted the matter for fresh consideration to the Pune Commissioner noting that the earlier notice was not duly served on Manorama Khedkar.

 

The case arose after a viral video showed Manorama Khedkar brandishing a gun during an argument over a land dispute in Dhadwali village. Manorama Khedkar, her husband and five others were charged under Indian Penal Code sections 307 (attempt to murder), 144 (unlawful assembly armed with a deadly weapon), 147 (rioting), and 506 (criminal intimidation), as well as provisions of the Arms Act. On July 23, the Pune Police Commissioner issued a notice for the cancellation of her arms licence, citing the FIR.