Pune Police Investigate IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar’s Audi Car Misuse
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 11: The Pune Police are taking action against the Audi car used by probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar. She has been transferred from Pune to Washim district following allegations of misusing her authority.
Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar stated, “We are here to take action. The gate is closed, but we will proceed with the investigation once it is opened. Pune Police will examine the Audi car used by Trainee IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar under the Motor Vehicles Act.”
Senior Officer Shafeel Pathan added, “We will take action according to the Motor Vehicle Act. 21 challans are pending on that car. We will send a notice over WhatsApp and try to contact them. It is illegal to write Maharashtra government on a private car. We have not found the car.”
Pooja Khedkar, who secured an All India rank of 821 in the UPSC exams, has been accused of using a red-blue beacon and a “Maharashtra Government” board on her private Audi car. She also allegedly occupied the ante-chamber of Additional Collector Ajay More without permission and requested unauthorized facilities.
Following a letter from Pune Collector Suhas Divase to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Khedkar was transferred to Washim district to complete her probationary period as a supernumerary assistant collector.
It is also alleged that Khedkar’s father, Dilip Khedkar, a retired administrative officer who recently contested the Lok Sabha election from Ahmednagar, exerted pressure on the District Collector’s office to fulfill his daughter’s demands.
RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar raised questions about Khedkar’s appointment, alleging that she did not fall under the OBC non-creamy layer as her father had assets worth Rs 40 crore. “As per the rules, only those come under the OBC non-creamy layer category whose parents are under 8 lac per annum of income, but their income shows that it is 40 crore,” he said.
Kumbhar claimed that Dilip Khedkar’s election affidavit showed a conservative estimated wealth of Rs 40 crore and an annual income of Rs 49 lakh.
