Dilip Khedkar disproportionate assets case: Complainant submits 2,000-page evidence to ACB

Complainant Tanaji Gambhire submits over 2,000 pages of evidence to ACB Pune in disproportionate assets case related to Dilip Khedkar, father of IAS probationer Puja.

Advocate Tanaji Gambhire, complainant in a disproportionate assets case related to Dilip Khedkar, father of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, has submitted over 2,000 pages of evidence to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Pune division.

Authorities had issued a suspension order to Dilip on February 24, 2020, after a departmental inquiry found that he threatened 300-400 small businessmen for extortion while posted in Mumbai, and MPCB received a complaint. (HT PHOTO)

Gambhire said, “I recorded my statement and submitted an evidence file of 2,050 pages to the ACB last week. The documents include land purchase deals, Index II papers, company and vehicle details related to Dilip or by his relatives.”

He claimed that either Khedkar or his relatives owned companies like Pooja Tyres, Pooja Automobiles, Thermoverita Engineering Pvt Ltd, Diligence Sugar & Agro Pvt Ltd, Diligence Envirotech Pvt Ltd, Diligence Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Diligence Recyclers Pvt Ltd, Diligence Corporation Pvt Ltd and Ecalede Auto Pvt Ltd.

Dilip retired as director, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), in 2020.

“When Khedkar was in Aurangabad MPCB, he used to send notices to companies for violation of pollution norms and asked them to purchase products from one of his companies to get a clean chit. He has collected over ₹50 crore assets by illegal means, and I have submitted documents to the ACB,” he said.

Authorities had issued a suspension order to Dilip on February 24, 2020, after a departmental inquiry found that he threatened 300-400 small businessmen for extortion while posted in Mumbai, and MPCB received a complaint. The suspension order mentioned that Dilip was found demanding ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 from companies to withdraw closure notices issued against them.

Meanwhile, a complaint filed at Pune ACB against Khedkar was handed over to the Nashik counterpart that is conducting an open enquiry against Dilip.

A senior ACB Pune officer said, “We have submitted our report to seniors and are waiting further instructions.”

Khedkar, who retired from MPCB, unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election in 2024. He had declared an annual income of ₹43 lakh and an estimated wealth of ₹40 crore in his affidavit for the polls.

The Khedkar family came under probe after allegations of power misuse by Puja, along with accusations of forging disability certificates and misusing OBC quota.