IAS Puja Khedkar row: More trouble for officer as central govt constitutes committee; Pune cops say Audi car not found

IAS Puja Khedkar controversy: In more trouble for controversial IAS officer Puja Khedkar, the central government on Thursday constituted a single-member committee to verify her claims and other allegations.

A committee chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India will verify the candidature claims.

The committee will submit its report in two weeks, said the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.

The officer has now been shunted to Washim after the Pune district collector requested that she be posted in another district and sought action against her.

What is the row?

Puja Khedkar (32), a 2023-batch IAS officer who is on probation, came to the limelight after pictures of an Audi car with a ‘Maharashtra government’ board and a red-blue beacon went viral on social media platforms.

She is also facing scrutiny for allegedly misusing benefits under the physical disabilities category and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificate.

Further, she is also accused of illegally occupying the ante-chamber of an additional collector.

Vehicle not found

The Pune police visited Puja Khedkar's residence to examine the Audi car that was being used with a red-blue beacon. However, the police did not find the vehicle.

The police said the Audi car in question has 21 challans and a ₹26,000 penalty pending.

“We will take action according to the Motor Vehicle Act. 21,” the police said.

They added that they will send a notice over WhatsApp and try to contact the owner, adding, “It is illegal to write ‘Maharashtra government’ on a private car.”

Reports said that when police visited the residence of Khedkar, her mother locked the gate of the house from inside and made cops stand outside. ABP Majha reported that her mother Manorama 'threatened' cops.

WhatApp chats viral

A WhatsApp chat between Puja Khedkar and the Pune collector's office demanding a cabin and staff even before joining the office has gone viral.

"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…," said Khedkar in one of her last chats before joining the office.

Transferred to Washim

After controversy, she was transferred from Pune to the Washim district in Maharashtra in the Vidarbha region.

IAS officer refuses to speak on row

After joining duty at Washim District Collectorate, reporters sought Khedkar's reaction to the ongoing row. However, she refused to comment, saying she was not authorised to speak on the issue. "Government rules don’t provide (allow) me to speak on this,” she said.

Milind Deora demands impartial investigation

Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora has urged the Maharashtra chief secretary to conduct a comprehensive and impartial investigation into these allegations against IAS officer Puja Khedkar.

Terming the allegations “serious”, Deora said in a post on X that the allegations are a serious reputational hazard to the service, adding, “Are you in government to serve or due to a sense of entitlement?”

Deora added that ensuring justice and preserving public trust in the administrative service is crucial.

What RTI activist said

Vijay Kumbhar, a Pune-based RTI activist, raised questions about Khedkar's appointment, alleging that she did not fall under the OBC non-creamy layer.

Kumbhar alleged that the young officer's father had assets worth ₹40 crore.

What Pune collector said in his report GAD

Even before joining duty on June 3, Puja Khedkar repeatedly demanded that she be provided a separate cabin, car, and residential quarters, said Pune collector Suhas Diwse in a report submitted to the General Administration Department.