Mumbai: A new controversy regarding the marital status of former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar’s father, Dilip Khedkar, has cropped up. According to reports, Dilip has filed nomination papers to contest the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections as an Independent candidate from the Ahmednagar South constituency.
But, in his latest nomination papers, Dilip had mentioned his marital status to be ‘divorced’, contrary to the information he had cited in his affidavit filed during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In that document, he had declared himself as married to Manorama Khedkar, reported the India Today. Dilip had also detailed his jointly owned properties with his wife in that affidavit. He even described their household as an ‘undivided Hindu family’, reports claimed.
In the Lok Sabha polls, Dilip was defeated from Ahmednagar constituency on Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi party’s ticket. Dilip Khedkar identified Manorama Khedkar as his wife and detailed their jointly owned properties. He even described their household as an “undivided Hindu family”.
Interestingly, Dilip and Manorama had filed for divorce by mutual consent in Pune’s family court in 2019 and their separation was finalized on June 25, 2010, as claimed in an India Today TV report.
Despite their divorce, the couple apparently continued to live together in a bungalow in the Baner area of Pune. This property, where they stayed, is owned by Manorama.
Their daughter, Puja had made headlines after she was suspended by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for allegedly misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to avail reservation benefits. However, she had denied these charges.
During her mock interviews at various academies in Delhi, she had also claimed that her family income was zero as her parents were divorced. She had claimed that she lived with her mother. In his affidavit, Dilip had reportedly declared Rs 40 crore worth properties in his affidavit filed for the last Lok Sabha polls.
