Pune:

Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar has accused Pune Collector Suhas Divase of harassment, police sources told NDTV Tuesday evening

Ms Khedkar is being investigated by the government over allegations she lied about visual and mental disabilities to clear the Civil Services entrance examination, and then abused her post (she was appointed Assistant Collector, Pune) to secure a range of perks not available for junior officers.

Ms Khedkar, 23, was this afternoon recalled from her post in Maharashtra’s Washim – she had been transferred there by Mr Divase after the allegations broke – and directed to return to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Uttarakhand.

READ | Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Recalled, Training On Hold

Last week the government had set up a one-member panel to investigate the claims.

Earlier sources said Ms Khedkar called police to her home yesterday to share information on “certain matters”. She spoke to three women cops from 11 pm to 1 am.

READ | Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Called Cops Home, Spoke For 2 Hours

Last week the Collector’s office released a preliminary report that contained screenshots of WhatsApp chats between Ms Khedkar and an unidentified individual Mr Divase’s office.

In her messages Ms Khedkar had demanded details about her office and a government car, neither of which is available to on-probation employees.

This too, she was told, would be “discussed with collector sir on Monday”.

On May 23 – 10 days before her posting began – an apparently impatient Ms Khedkar messaged, “Any update about accommodation, travel, cabin, etc?” There was no reply.

READ | “Please Get It Done Before I Join…”: Puja Khedkar’s Messages

Four days later she sent an ultimatum of sorts.

“Pls get the designated cabin n vehicle done before I join on 3rd. Later there will be no time. If it is not possible let me know, I will talk to collector sir accordingly…”

A 2023-batch IAS officer, Ms Khedkar faces multiple allegations, including lying about her OBC status, and using a siren (a red beacon reserved for VIP government vehicles) and a ‘Government of Maharashtra’ for her private vehicle, a luxury Audi sedan.

There is also controversy growing over her claims of physical, mental, and visual disabilities.

READ | “Someone Doubted…”: Doctor On Trainee IAS Officer’s Disability Claim

It has emerged that Ms Khedkar, at the time of clearing joining formalities for the Civil Services, had skipped multiple calls for a medical test to confirm her infirmities.

And this week it emerged that after skipping the last call she approached a Pune hospital for a certificate for her locomotor disability. That request was rejected. However, a Pipri hospital obliged, diagnosing her with an “old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability”.

Ms Khedkar, whose parents are now roiled in cases too, had so far refused to comment on her situation, insisting that “government rules” forbade her from making a statement. On Monday, though, she did. She hit out at the “media trial” surrounding her actions.

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Pune:

Manorama Khedkar, mother of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, was issued a show cause notice by Pune Police on June 13 over the misuse of a licenced gun.

Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar issued a show cause notice to Puja Khedkar’s mother after Manorama Khedkar, the Sarpanch of Bhalgaon village in Ahmednagar, was seen waving a pistol during a heated argument in a viral video.

A show cause notice issued by Kumar to Pooja Khedkar’s mother, Manorama Khedkar, has been pasted, as no one turned up to receive the notice.

The notice states that Manorama Khedkar has to respond as to why her gun licence should not be cancelled. She has been asked to respond within 10 days.

A case has been registered against her under the Arms Act in the Pune rural police jurisdiction on the complaint of a local farmer who alleged that Manorama Khedkar and others had threatened him.

Following a string of controversies, Puja was recently transferred from Pune to Washim district. The Central Government has set up a committee to investigate these allegations.

Earlier on Saturday, Puja Khedkar refused to comment on the centre setting up a panel to probe her candidature.

Puja Khedkar, who was transferred to Washim from Pune following the allegations, said she was not authorised to speak on this matter.

“I am not authorised to say anything on this matter. I am not permitted to speak on this matter as per government rule,” she said.

The controversy surrounding trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar from the 2023 batch in Maharashtra, has intensified with fresh allegations against her and her family.

Puja is under scrutiny for allegedly abusing her authority and submitting fraudulent disability and caste certificates to qualify for the civil services exam.

She was accused of various corruption cases, including unauthorised use of a vehicle equipped with a beacon light and demanding privileges such as a separate office, official vehicle, and staff, which are not typically granted to trainee officers.

On Thursday, the central government constituted a single-member committee to verify the candidature claims and other details of Khedkar following a controversy over her alleged misuse of power as a civil servant.

The Ministry of Personnel announced in a statement, emphasising that the committee is chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary under the Central Government and that it will submit its report in two weeks.

The IAS trainee was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office when he allowed her to use his antechamber as her office.

Khedkar allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports claimed that she had also submitted a mental illness certificate.

In April 2022, she was asked to report at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate, but she did not do so, citing the COVID infection.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Pune:

Pune police on Sunday confiscated a luxury car used by controversial probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar by allegedly installing a red beacon light on it illegally, an official said.

The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Thursday issued a notice to a city-based private company, which is the registered owner of the Audi car that 34-year-old Khedkar used during her posting here.

Shivane village in Haveli taluka was mentioned as the address of the registered user, as per officials.

Khedkar recently came under the spotlight after kicking up a controversy surrounding her demands such as a separate cabin and staff during her posting in Pune.

She allegedly misused the disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) quota to secure a position in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).

Khedkar allegedly used a red beacon light on the Audi car and also got ‘Maharashtra Government’ written on it without permission.

Following the controversy, she was transferred from Pune to Washim district before the completion of her training.

“A notice was issued on Thursday against the unauthorised use of a beacon and name sign on the private sedan Khedkar had been using. The car now has been confiscated, its documents will be checked and we are probing the matter further,” a senior police official said on Sunday.

A jammer was put on the car and barricades were installed around it, he said.

As many as 21 challans with total charges of Rs 27,000 were issued in the past against the Audi car, which was registered at the Pune RTO on June 27, 2012, for alleged traffic violations.

The fine has been paid, as per officials.

As per section 108 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules (CMVR) 1989, the state government can grant permission for the use of red or amber beacon lights on official vehicles to VIPs, VVIPs and government officials.

In December 2013, the state government pruned the list of government posts entitled to use beacons and published a revised list in 2014, on the directives of the Supreme Court.

In October 2014, the transport commissioner’s office had asked various departments to remove beacons on vehicles of the officials not entitled to use them.

As per the list, only top officials above the secretary level in the state government, police officers of and above the rank of inspector general of police and regional commissioners are allowed to use amber beacons without flashers, while top level district officials are entitled to use blue beacons.

The Centre on Thursday constituted a single-member committee “to verify the candidature” of the 2023-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre.

In a statement, the Centre said the probe would be conducted by an additional secretary-rank officer to verify claims over Khedkar’s candidature and other details.

She may be terminated from service if found guilty, official sources earlier said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Mumbai:

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora has called for “accountability from within” the system for the country’s bureaucracy, including the Indian Administrative Service that is the backbone of domestic governance. Mr Deora’s comments come amid outrage over the Puja Khedkar row.

A 2003-batch IAS officer, Ms Khedkar made headlines this week after it emerged she may have lied about suffering visual and mental disabilities to secure a posting despite a low qualifying score, and then wheedled officials into giving her perks not permitted for on-probation officers.

Individuals in public service, Mr Deora said, had to be held accountable for their actions.

Politicians, he pointed out, had such a system – an election. “Many times we politicians are criticised, regardless of which party we belong to… and rightfully so, I welcome it. But please keep in mind politicians still have a system of accountability. We get voted in and voted out…”

“Ultimately the public has the ability to throw us out of office.”

“But bureaucracy in India remains a largely unaccountable force… and ensuring accountability from within is very critical. Therefore, I say again, authorities must take swift action in this case.”

NDTV Explains | Who Is Puja Khedkar, What Is The Controversy Around Her

Mr Deora also demanded accountability from the judiciary.

“When we talk of reforms and improving governance… I believe politicians have that accountability but we have to also talk about judicial and administrative (or bureaucracy) reforms. How, in fact, are we making these pillars of our democracy more accountable? You can’t just say ‘we are making politicians accountable’… but then the judiciary and bureaucracy have no accountability.”

“Based on the reports I have read it is disturbing. I believe people who enter public service, bureaucrats or politicians or even those in the media, we have to hold ourselves to a standard. We have to ask ourselves why we are in our chosen professions…” Mr Deora told NDTV.

He referred to the “long legacy… (of) excellent bureaucrats” from Maharashtra and said he had, therefore, been “very perturbed” to hear of Ms Khedkar’s actions. “If this is the prevailing culture, we must weed out it immediately,” Mr Deora said, calling for a “through and impartial” inquiry.

“If these charges are found to be true… such officers must not be tolerated,” he said, stressing the need to inculcate a “culture of solid public service that is citizen friendly”.

READ | “Get It Done Before I Join…”: IAS Officer Puja Khedkar’s Messages

“We must do more to ensure such people don’t end up in public service,” he said, declaring those not fit should be encouraged not to enter the Civil Service. “The kind of culture we create is very important because, to be very frank with you, it is the bureaucrats who ultimately deliver public services.” 

Earlier today Mr Deora also posted on X (formerly Twitter) to voice his concern.

READ | “Those Lacking Merit, Ethics Not Fit…”: Sena MP On Trainee IAS Officer

“The allegations against IAS officer Pooja Khedkar are a serious reputational hazard to the service. Are you in government to serve or due to a sense of entitlement? I urge Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary to conduct a comprehensive and impartial investigation into these allegations without delay,” he said.

The allegations against #IAS officer Pooja Khedkar are a serious reputational hazard to the service. Are you in government to serve or due to a sense of entitlement?

I urge Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary to conduct a comprehensive & impartial investigation into these allegations…

— Milind Deora | मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) July 11, 2024

“Ensuring justice and preserving public trust in our administrative service is crucial. The UPSC (the Union Public Service Commission, the training organisation) is known for producing high-caliber officers for public service. Those lacking merit and ethics are not fit to hold public offices,” he added.

A 2023-batch IAS officer, Ms Khedkar faces multiple charges. Since the allegations surfaced, she has been shunted out of her post as an Assistant Collector in Pune to a supernumary position in Washim.

WATCH | Trainee IAS Officer’s First Chat With Media After Big Allegations

In her first interaction with the media since the allegations broke, Ms Khedkar said she was “not authorised” to speak about the matter and that she is “happy” to begin her new role.

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Mumbai:

In her first interaction with the media amid serious allegations of misuse of power, trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar said she was “not authorised” to speak about the matter and added that she is happy to begin her new role in Maharashtra’s Washim.

The 2023-batch IAS officer has hit national headlines in the wake of serious allegations of impropriety and misuse of her position as a bureaucrat. It is alleged that she had been using a siren, VIP number plates and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her privately-owned Audi sedan.

Amid the allegations, she has been transferred to Washim. Responding to the media’s queries this morning, Ms Khedkar said she is not authorised to speak on the allegations against her. “I am very happy to join Washim district and looking forward to working here.”

Pressed further to respond to the allegations, the bureaucrat said, “Government rules do not allow me to speak anything on this matter. So sorry, I cannot speak,” she said.

Among the allegations against her is that she was using Pune Additional Collector Ajay More’s office while he was away. She allegedly removed office furniture and also asked for letterheads. Junior IAS officers, who are on probation for two years after they join the service, are not entitled to such perks.

In a letter to the state’s top civil servants, including Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, Pune collector Dr Suhas Diwase detailed the charges against the trainee IAS officer.

It has emerged that Ms Khedkar made various unfair demands, the letter states. These included an official car with a VIP number plate, accommodation and an official chamber with adequate staff. According to rules, an officer on probation cannot be provided with these facilities.

Reports suggest that her father – a retired administrative officer – allegedly pushed for her demands to be fulfilled.

The row has also put the spotlight on how Ms Khedkar cleared the UPSC screening process for IAS aspirants — among the toughest competitive exams in the country. Her claim for concession as an OBC candidate has come under the lens too.

It has emerged that she claimed to be a visually and mentally impaired candidate to seek concession, but did not undergo a mandatory medical test for confirmation.

Unconfirmed reports suggest she skipped the tests five times and half-attended a sixth – she did not appear for an MRI test to assess vision loss.

She had ranked 841 in the all-India exam — an unimpressive rank. In fact, the Union Public Service Commission that recruits top civil servants had challenged her selection, and a tribunal ruled against her in February 2023. It is not clear yet how her appointment was confirmed. She passed the uber-competitive Civil Services Exam despite scoring a relatively low all-India rank of 841.