Puja Khedkar Under Investigation for Misuse of Power and Fake Certificates

The Central government has formed a single-member committee to investigate the candidature claims and other details of Puja Manorma Dilip Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer posted in Pune. Khedkar, who was transferred to Washim in central Maharashtra, is at the center of a controversy over her alleged misuse of power as a civil servant.

Details of the Investigation

The Ministry of Personnel announced that the committee is chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary under the Central government. The committee will submit its report in two weeks.

Controversial Actions

Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 841 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam. She sparked controversy by using her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and VIP number plate. She also demanded facilities not available to probationary officers, such as a separate cabin, car, residential quarters, and a peon.

According to a report by Pune collector Suhas Diwse, Khedkar was denied these facilities. She was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office.

Allegations of Fake Certificates

Khedkar allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports claimed she also submitted a mental illness certificate. In April 2022, she was asked to report to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate but did not do so, citing a Covid infection.