Trainee IAS officer Pooja Khedkar from the Maharashtra cadre has recently come under the limelight. Pooja Khedkar is accused of furnishing forged disability and OBC certificates to qualify for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. Pooja took the exam in 2021, securing an All India Rank of 821. Allegations suggest that Probationary IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar also abused her power, leading to her transfer to Washim.
Before her appointment as an Assistant Collector in Pune, Pooja demanded a separate office, a car, and a house. This came to light through WhatsApp chats with an officer from the Collectorate. In the chats, she appears to instruct the officer to fulfill her demands before she joins on June 3rd.
The Chats Reveal These Details
The chats uncovered that she told the officer to please complete the cabin or car business before her joining on June 3rd. She would not have time later. If this is not possible, let her know, and she would talk to the Collector Sir about it. The District Collector raised these unusual demands before the Chief Secretary, suggesting in his report that continuing Pooja Khedkar's training in Pune would be inappropriate and could lead to administrative complications.
Source: aajtak
Pooja Offered to Use VIP Hall as Her Cabin
Although the officer had offered his own chamber, the Collector's report suggested that Pooja Khedkar declined due to the lack of an attached bathroom. Before joining, Pooja Khedkar visited the office with her father Dilip Khedkar and proposed using the VIP hall next to the mining department as her cabin.
Source: aajtak
Source: aajtak
Not Entitled to Such Amenities during Probation
Probationary Officer Pooja Khedkar was informed that she was not entitled to these facilities while on probation and would be provided with housing. Following the District Collector's report, IAS officer Pooja Khedkar from the 2023 batch was transferred to Washim district to complete her training. She was appointed as the Assistant Collector in Washim and will serve as a 'Supernumerary Assistant Collector' until July 30, 2025.
Trainee IAS Accused of Submitting Fake Certificates
Following the controversy, an investigation into her appointment documents revealed that she had allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to pass the Civil Services Examination. Moreover, Pooja Khedkar used her personal Audi car with red and blue beacons and a VIP number plate, and she also affixed a board stating 'Government of Maharashtra' on her personal vehicle.
Pooja Refused to Attend Medical Exams Six Times
An official stated that Pooja Khedkar took the Civil Services Examination under the OBC and visually impaired categories and had also submitted a mental illness certificate. In April 2022, she was asked to undergo a medical test at AIIMS Delhi to confirm her disability, but she refused on six different occasions. She later submitted an MRI scanning certificate from a private center.
Discrepancies in Non-Creamy Layer OBC Candidate Claims
The OBC non-creamy layer status of Pooja Khedkar also came under scrutiny. According to her father Dilip Khedkar's election affidavit, he had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on a ticket from the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, declaring assets worth 40 crore INR. This raised questions about her eligibility for OBC status.
