Bombay High Court Reverses Pune Police's Order To Cancel Manorama Khedkar's Arms License

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

Manorama Khedkar had moved HC challenging the Pune top cop's order of August 2 cancelling her arms licence. She claimed she was not given an opportunity to present her case.

The bench, in its order noted, there was nothing to show that the notice issued to Manorama Khedkar directing her to show cause as to why her arms licence should not be cancelled was duly served to her as mandated in law.

"Hence, the impugned order cannot be sustained," the HC said.

The case arose after a viral video showed her brandishing a gun during an argument over a land dispute in Dhadwali village. The video sparked public outrage, leading to her arrest on July 18 from Hirkaniwadi village in Raigad.

Manorama Khedkar along with 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 the Arms Act.

On July 23, the Pune Commissioner issued a notice for the cancellation of Khedkar's arms licence citing the above FIR.

A hearing was scheduled for Aug. 2, which she could not attend since she was in jail at the time. She was granted bail in August.

Manorama Khedkar could not have appeared before the police as she was in custody at the time, the bench noted in its order.

The court quashed the order cancelling Khedkar's arms licence and sent the matter back to the Pune commissioner for a fresh decision.