The central government has constituted a panel to investigate the charges associated with trainee IAS Pooja Khedkar of the Maharashtra cadre. According to information, an additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) will lead the investigation. The committee consists of a single member. Allegations suggest that Pooja Khedkar appeared for the Civil Services Examination under the OBC and visually impaired categories and also submitted a mental illness certificate. Pooja has, however, been transferred to Washim, where she assumed the role of Assistant Collector at the Washim District Collectorate on Thursday.
As per reports, the Pune police have taken action against the Audi car used by probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar under the Motor Vehicles Act. Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil told Aaj Tak that the use of sirens on private vehicles is a violation of traffic rules, action will be taken according to the law.
The Pune Traffic Police enacted measures against Pooja Khedkar's Audi under section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act. The police reported that there have been a total of 21 traffic violations, resulting in fines totaling INR 26,500. There have been 21 challans issued against Pooja's Audi car.
There are allegations that discrepancies have been found in Pooja Khedkar's claims of being from the OBC non-creamy layer. According to the election affidavit of her father, Dilip Khedkar, he fought the 2024 Lok Sabha election for the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, and his declared assets were INR 40 crores. Questions were raised about her OBC eligibility as a result.
An official stated that Pooja Khedkar appeared for the Civil Services Examination under the OBC and visually impaired categories, and she also submitted a mental health certificate. In April 2022, she was asked to undergo a medical test at AIIMS, Delhi to verify her disability status, but Pooja Khedkar declined to participate in these examinations on six different occasions. Later, she presented an MRI scanning certificate from a private center.
