Controversy Over IAS Officer Puja Khedkar’s Admission and Appointment
Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer, is facing allegations regarding her admission to medical school and her current position. In 2007, Khedkar secured an MBBS seat at Shrimati Kashibai Navale Medical College using a non-creamy layer OBC certificate. Arvind Bhore, the college’s director, confirmed that she was admitted based on her AMUPDMC exam score of 146 out of 200.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar has questioned Khedkar’s eligibility, pointing out that her father, Dilip Khedkar, declared assets worth Rs 40 crore and an annual income of Rs 49 lakh in a recent Lok Sabha election affidavit. Kumbhar argues that this disqualifies her from the OBC non-creamy layer category, which requires a family income below Rs 8 lakh per annum.
Khedkar is also accused of corruption, including the misuse of a vehicle with a beacon light and demanding privileges not typically granted to trainee officers. These allegations have led to calls for a thorough investigation into her application and past actions.
