The training of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar has been put on hold due to allegations of misuse of power and privileges. Ms. Khedkar has been recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie for “further necessary action.”
Following accusations of manipulating disability and OBC certificates to gain entry into the civil services, Ms. Khedkar was earlier transferred from Pune to Washim. The General Administration Department of the Maharashtra government issued a directive stating, “You are hereby relieved from the District Training Programme of the State Government of Maharashtra.” Ms. Khedkar is instructed to “join the academy at the earliest” but no later than July 23.
A 2023-batch officer from Ahmednagar, Ms. Khedkar claims to be the victim of a “media trial,” alleging misinformation against her. The authenticity of various certificates submitted to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is under investigation. This includes certificates indicating visual impairment, submitted under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category.
Despite being referred by the UPSC for a medical examination at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ms. Khedkar reportedly missed six appointments between April and August 2022. Her application for another disability certificate from the Aundh government hospital in Pune was rejected following medical tests.
Ms. Khedkar’s troubles began with accusations of demanding unauthorized perks while serving as an assistant collector in Pune. Allegations include using a red beacon and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her private Audi car, occupying the office of Pune Additional Collector Ajay More during his absence, and demanding office furniture, letterheads, a VIP number plate, a separate house, and a car. These perks are typically unavailable to probationary officers during their 24-month probationary period.
Following these allegations, Ms. Khedkar was transferred to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector. An RTI activist from Pune, Vijay Kumbhar, alleged that Ms. Khedkar’s father possesses assets worth ₹40 crore, surpassing the ₹8 lakh annual income threshold for any reservation benefits.
Ms. Khedkar has expressed her willingness to testify before the expert committee, confident that the truth will emerge. “Whatever my submission is, I will give it in front of the committee and the truth will come out,” she said. The Pune Police are also investigating her parents in a criminal case involving her mother, Manorama Khedkar, who was allegedly seen threatening individuals with a gun over a land dispute in a video. An FIR has been filed against the couple and five others in connection with this incident.
Ms. Khedkar has lodged a harassment complaint against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase. According to an official, women police personnel visited Ms. Khedkar at her residence in Washim, where she filed the complaint.
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