Bombay High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail to Dismissed IAS Officer's Father

In a surprising turn of events, the Bombay High Court has granted anticipatory bail to Dilip Khedkar, the father of former IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, in a kidnapping case. The case dates back to September 2025, when a truck allegedly grazed Khedkar's SUV on the Mulund-Airoli bridge. Police claim that in retaliation, Khedkar and his chauffeur Praful Salunkhe abducted the truck's helper, Prahlad Chauhan, and took him to Khedkar's bungalow in Pune. Chauhan was later rescued by the Rabale police the following day.

Investigators had earlier arrested Salunkhe six days after the incident, but Khedkar had been evading arrest for nearly a month and was not cooperating with the investigation, according to Rabale senior inspector Balkrushna Sawant. Khedkar and his wife Manorama, who also faces a case for allegedly obstructing police during Chauhan's rescue, had obtained interim bail earlier but had not made themselves available for questioning.

Despite the police's efforts, the Belapur court had initially dismissed Khedkar's anticipatory bail plea, observing that his custodial interrogation was essential for further investigation. However, the Bombay High Court has now granted Khedkar anticipatory bail, in a surprising twist to the ongoing case.