Where is Puja Khedkar's family? Father, driver flee in taxi after road rage kidnapping, mom still 'absconding'; cops connect dots

NAVI MUMBAI: Navi Mumbai police team trying to trace Dilip Khedkar, the father of dismissed IAS officer Puja Khedkar, and the chauffeur of his SUV, Praful Salunkhe, in a road rage kidnapping case of the helper a cement mixer truck, have reportedly received information that after parking their SUV at an unknown location, the two escaped in a taxi to evade arrest.Police said that they have not yet obtained the cab aggregator’s details and the investigation is on by scanning the CCTV footage.A police source said that as their mobile phones are switched off, they might have taken the help of some family friend to book the cab.Officials from Chatushrungi and Rabale police stations visited the residence of dismissed IAS probationer Puja Khedkar on Tuesday morning in search of her mother, Manorama, but did not find her at the bungalow. Chatushrungi police intend to record her statement in a case concerning obstruction of a public servant, while Rabale police are investigating an abduction case and are looking for Manorama and others. Senior inspector Uttam Bhajnawale of Chatushrungi police told TOI, “None of the family members was present in their bungalow on Baner Road. Their caretakers answered our questions, and our teams returned to the police station.” He added that the Rabale police team is currently stationed in Pune city as part of their ongoing probe.