Pune collector reacts to IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar’s ‘harassment’ allegations against him: ‘Nonsensical and…’

Pune Collector Suhas Diwase has termed the harassment charges levelled against him by Puja Khedkar, the trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer whose provisional candidature was cancelled by the UPSC on Wednesday as nonsensical. 

Puja Khedkar's harassment charges were made as an ‘afterthought' following her transfer to Washim from Pune, Suhash Diwase told The Indian Express.

Pune Collector Suhas Diwase met Puja Khedkar thrice from June 3 to June 14 while she was at the district Collector's office. All the meetings were held in the presence of other officers and lawyers, The Indian Express reported.

“The issue of harassment rose only when she went to Washim and was an afterthought,” IE quoted Pune Collector Suhas Diwase as saying. 

The allegations of harassment against Suhas Diwase came weeks after he submitted a report to the Maharashtra government regarding Khedkar's alleged misbehaviour during her probationary period. The report led to the cancellation of Khedkar's stint as a provisionally recommended candidate for the Civil Services Examination 2022 (CSE-2022). 

UPSC cancels IAS Puja Khedkar's provisional candidature

There seems to be no end to Puja Khedkar's troubles. The UPSC on Wednesday cancelled her provisional candidature and barred her from all future examinations or selections. Meanwhile, a Delhi court will likely pass an order on Puja Khedkar's anticipatory bail today. She is facing accusations of cheating and forgery.

"The UPSC has examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules," the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) said in a statement on Wednesday, 

It said the provisional candidature of the 2023 batch probationary IAS officer for the CSE-2022 (Civil Services Examination-2022) has been "cancelled" and she has also been "debarred permanently" from all future examinations or selections conducted by the UPSC.

She was asked to submit her response to the notice by July 25, but she requested time till August 4 to gather the necessary documents for her response.

Khedkar has been accused of fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit in the Examination Rules by faking her identity. A criminal case was registered against her for allegedly "misrepresenting and falsifying facts".