Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar from Maharashtra, now finds herself amidst a whirlwind of allegations, has sought police intervention against the District Magistrate of Pune. According to sources, the police visit to Puja Khedkar's home has prompted this complaint. She has accused the Pune DM of harassment. On Monday evening, a police team reached Puja's residence in Washim and conducted an inquiry. A women's police team from Washim was deployed for the visit.
Information suggests that Puja had called the police after obtaining permission from Washim Collector Buvaneshwari S to share some information. Police teams have been actively raiding in search of Puja's father Dilip Khedkar and mother Manorama Khedkar. Following a dispute and firing incident over land possession, FIRs have been registered against both of them.
Read More:
Source: aajtak
A team of three female police officers, including an ACP leading the team, arrived at Puja Khedkar's home. Around 10:30 PM on Monday, the Washim police reached Puja Khedkar's residence and came out at around 1 AM. Details on the discussion between Puja and the police are not yet public. When the police were asked for a reason, they mentioned it was an official visit.
LBSNAA Cancels Puja's IAS Training
Prior to this event, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, had cancelled Puja Khedkar's training program from Maharashtra. Furthermore, the academy issued a letter for her immediate recall. In addition, LBSNAA has informed the Maharashtra government about the cancellation through an official letter.
The order by LBSNAA states, "Your district training program is hereby suspended, and you are called back immediately for further necessary actions. You are relieved from the Maharashtra state government's district training program with immediate effect, but under no circumstances, you must join the academy after July 23, 2024."
Source: aajtak
Read More:
Daily Revelations in IAS Puja Case
Daily new facts are coming to light regarding Puja Khedkar. There are allegations that Puja Khedkar submitted a certificate of blindness and mental illness to participate in the UPSC exam. She leveraged these unwarranted benefits to become an IAS officer. Without these concessions, it would have been impossible for her to secure the IAS post based on her scores. It is alleged that Puja was to undergo a medical examination after her selection, but she postponed it. She refused medical tests on six occasions for various reasons. Later, she opted to submit an MRI report from an external medical agency, which UPSC initially declined to accept but later approved. This has led to demands for an investigation by the government.
In addition, her age has also come under scrutiny. Documents reveal that Puja Khedkar submitted details to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in 2020 and then in 2023, showing only a one-year increase in age over a three-year span. However, Khedkar had not undergone any tests to verify her benchmark disability. UPSC challenged her selection in CAT, which ruled against her in February 2023. Khedkar had applied for age relaxation for persons with benchmark disabilities in her CAT application forms from 2020 and 2023.
Accused of Misusing Her Position
Puja Khedkar, a 2023 batch trainee, is also accused of abusing her position as a Probationary IAS officer in Pune. Puja demanded several facilities that are not typically available to trainee officers. She used her private Audi car equipped with a VIP number plate and red-and-blue beacons. She installed a signboard of 'Government of Maharashtra' on her vehicle and demanded an official car, residence, office room, and additional staff. Moreover, she even occupied a senior officer's chamber in their absence. Following these incidents, Pune Collector Suhas Diwase wrote to the Chief Secretary complaining about Puja Khedkar. Subsequently, she was transferred to Washim district, where she joined as Assistant Collector.
