Maharashtra cadre trainee IAS officer Pooja Khedkar (34) is finding herself in increasingly troubled waters. Surrounded by controversies, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, has canceled her training program from Maharashtra. Additionally, the academy has issued a letter urgently recalling her. A notification regarding this has also been sent to the Maharashtra government.
In the order issued by the LBSNAA to Poojas, it states: "Your district training program has been suspended and a decision has been taken to call you back immediately for further necessary action. Therefore, you are released from the Maharashtra State Government's district training program. The academy's letter is enclosed herewith. You are instructed to join the academy as soon as possible, but under no circumstances after July 23, 2024."
Source: aajtak
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The cascade of revelations regarding Pooja Khedkar seems unending. Allegations imply that Pooja employed a certificate of visual impairment and mental illness to partake in the UPSC examination. These concessions on her application were instrumental in her IAS appointment, which would have been unattainable based on her marks alone. Post-selection, Pooja faced accusations of dodging mandated medical examinations, refusing them six times for various reasons. Eventually, she opted for an MRI report from an external medical agency, which the UPSC initially rejected but subsequently accepted. This sequence of events has spurred calls for a government inquiry.
Additionally, queries are being raised about her age. Documentation indicates that despite the three-year interval between her submissions in 2020 and 2023 to the Central Administrative Tribunal, only a one-year difference in her age is reported. However, Khedkar never underwent tests to prove her benchmark disability. The UPSC contested her selection in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which ruled against her in February 2023. In her CAT application forms between 2020 and 2023, Khedkar sought an age relaxation for individuals with benchmark disabilities.
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Accused of Misusing Power
Pooja Khedkar, from the 2023 batch, is accused of misconduct while serving as a probationary IAS officer in Pune. Despite privileges typically unavailable to trainee officers, Pooja demanded various amenities. She used her personal Audi with a VIP number plate and a blue beacon. She mounted a 'Government of Maharashtra' signboard on her vehicle and demanded an official car, residence, office space, and additional staff. Furthermore, she allegedly took over a senior officer's chamber in their absence. Following these incidents, the Pune Collector Suhas Divase wrote to the Chief Secretary lodging a complaint against Pooja Khedkar, resulting in her transfer to Washim district. There, she has joined as an Assistant Collector.
