Training of IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Delayed for Unspecified Reasons

Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch officer from Ahmednagar, has recently claimed to be the victim of a “media trial.” She has been recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie for “further necessary action.” Earlier, Ms. Khedkar was transferred to Washim from Pune due to accusations of manipulating disability and OBC certificates to enter civil services.

The General Administration Department of the Maharashtra government issued a directive stating that she was relieved from the District Training Programme and instructed to “join the academy at the earliest” but not later than July 23. The authenticity of various certificates submitted by Ms. Khedkar to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is currently under investigation, including certificates indicating visual impairment submitted under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category. Ms. Khedkar has reportedly missed six medical examination appointments at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) between April and August 2022.

She also applied for another disability certificate from a Pune government hospital in August 2022, which was rejected following medical tests. Allegations against Ms. Khedkar also include demanding unauthorized perks and facilities while serving as an assistant collector in Pune, such as using a red beacon and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her private Audi car, occupying an absent official’s office, and demanding office furniture, letterheads, a VIP number plate, a separate house, and a car. Additionally, it was alleged that Ms. Khedkar’s father possessed significant assets, which would exceed the income threshold for reservation benefits.

She stated her willingness to testify before an expert committee and expressed confidence in the emergence of the truth. The Pune Police are also investigating her parents in a criminal case involving her mother, who was allegedly seen threatening individuals with a gun over a land dispute in a video. An FIR has been filed against the couple and five others in connection with this incident.

Ms. Khedkar has lodged a harassment complaint against the Pune district collector. The situation surrounding Ms. Khedkar remains complex and involves multiple ongoing investigations and allegations.