Controversial IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who took charge as an assistant collector at the Washim District Collectorate in the Vidarbha region on Thursday, has been accused of allegedly misusing benefits under the physical disabilities category and the other backward class (OBC) quota to secure a position in the Indian Administrative Services.
Khedkar was transferred to Washim after Pune district collector Suhas Diwase wrote to state additional chief secretary Nitin Gadre, requesting a posting for Khedkar in another district to avoid "administrative complications."
Diwase had sought action against Khedkar for her behaviour, which included aggressive treatment of junior staff, illegal occupation of the ante-chamber of additional collector Ajay More, and violations such as sporting a red beacon on her Audi and flashing it during the day, among others.
Amid the allegations against her, the Centre has constituted a single-member committee "to verify the candidature" of Khedkar. In a statement, the Centre said the probe would be conducted by an additional secretary-rank officer to verify the candidature claims and other details of the 2023 batch officer, who has been allotted the Maharashtra cadre. The committee will submit its report in two weeks, the statement added.
Meanwhile, a video is circulating on social media in which the IAS officer's mother, Manorama Khedkar, is seen threatening a farmer with a gun.
Watch Video:
According to local media reports, the Khedkar family purchased 25 acres of land in Mulshi taluka of Pune district. Allegedly, they attempted to encroach on the neighbouring farmer's land. When the farmer objected, Manorama Khedkar arrived with bouncers and threatened him while brandishing a gun. Shockingly, when the farmers tried to file a complaint at Paud police station in Pune, their complaint was not registered due to "pressure from the top", added reports.
