Puja Khedkar To Appear Before Police Over Harassment Claim Today, Will She Turn Up This Time?

Puja Khedkar To Appear Before Police Over Harassment Claim Today, Will She Turn Up This Time?

Puja Khedkar has filed a harassment complaint against Pune Collector Suhas Diwase, who had sought her transfer away from her office in a formal letter. Pune Police had summoned Puja on July 18 for her statement on the complaint she herself filed. However, she did not turn up. Pune police has said that they will examine the matter and take further action in case she fails to turn up on Saturday.

Rahul MUpdated: Saturday, July 20, 2024, 10:24 AM IST
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IAS trainee Puja Khedkar | File Photo

Puja Khedkar, the controversial trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is due on Saturday (July 20) to record her statement with Pune Police over her harassment complaint against Pune Collector Suhas Diwase. Khedkar had skipped the initial summons following which a fresh one was issued by Pune Police.

"We have issued a second summons to her seeking her presence to record her statement. She has indicated that she will be coming here. We shall wait," said Amitesh Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Pune.

The commissioner said that she was initially called to appear before police on July 18 but didn't turn up. A second summons was issued to her in Washim. He has said that the police will examine the situation and decide further course of action if Khedkar fails to appear on Saturday as well.

The Khedkar saga so far

Puja Khedkar is currently in focus because of alleged malpractices from her side aimed at securing the prestigious IAS officer post. As part of her IAS training, Khedkar was posted under Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase, who made a formal complaint against Khedkar for her insistence on facilities which normally are not given to trainee officers.

What started as an issue over use of beacon on her private vehicle soon spiraled into an all out investigation as it was revealed that Khedkar has misused Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Physically Handicapped (PH) quota during her journey not only to become an IAS officer but also while her admission to a medical course.

Her training as a probationary IAS officer has already been officially paused and Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), the premier government institute which trains IAS officers. The academy has asked her to report in Mussoorie by July 23 for further "necessary action".

The focus in the matter, initially on Khedkar alone, soon expanded to scrutiny of her family after her mother Manorama Khedkar, was seen pointing gun at people in multiple videos online. As the matter heated up, her parents absconded and after a few days of search, Manorama was arrested from a guesthouse near Raigad Fort.

Puja Khedkar has alleged that a 'media trial' was on against her and has claimed that 'truth will come out' after the single-member committee formed by the Centre submits its report after investigation into the matter.

(With inputs from agencies)

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