Father’s Income Discrepancy, Red Beacon Misuse & More: Allegations Against Puja Khedkar

New Delhi: Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar has grabbed headlines after reports surfaced about her alleged demands for a separate office, an official car, and the unauthorized use of a beacon on her private vehicle. The Pune police on Thursday visited her residence to investigate her use of an Audi car, which is suspected to have violated service regulations. "The Pune Police will verify/examine the Audi Car which Trainee IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar was using," police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said. 

Khedkar, who secured an all-India rank (AIR) of 821 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams and was serving as a probationary IAS officer, has since been transferred from Pune to the Washim district of Maharashtra.  She was transferred after Pune collector Suhas Divase wrote a letter to the chief secretary of Maharashtra.  

Allegations Against Puja Khedkar

• Fake Certificates: She is alleged to have submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam.
• Misuse of Authority: Puja Khedkar is accused of misusing her authority.
• Unauthorized Facilities: While posted as an assistant collector in Pune, she allegedly availed facilities not permitted for probationary officers.
• Unauthorized Use of Beacon: She is accused of using a red-blue beacon and a Maharashtra government board on her private Audi car.
• Unauthorized Occupation: Khedkar reportedly occupied the chamber of additional collector Ajay More without permission and removed office furniture without consent.
• Pressure from Father: Her father, a retired administrative officer who recently ran for the Lok Sabha from Ahmednagar, is alleged to have pressured the district collector's office to meet his daughter's demands.
• Questionable Appointment: RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar has claimed that Khedkar's appointment was questionable, arguing she did not fall under the OBC non-creamy layer category due to her father's assets worth ₹40 crore.

OBC Non-Creamy Layer Status in Question

Alongside the allegations of fake disability claims, there are discrepancies concerning Puja Khedkar's OBC non-creamy layer status. RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar pointed out that her father, Dilip Khedkar, reported his wealth as ₹40 crore in his election affidavit. This discrepancy raises questions about Puja Khedkar’s eligibility for the OBC non-creamy layer status, which is generally granted to those with parents earning less than ₹8 lakh annually. Dilip Khedkar had run for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on a Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi ticket.

If reports are to be believed, her parents also own property that includes 110 acres of agricultural land, which is in violation of the Agricultural Land Ceiling Act. They claimed to possess 1.6 lakh square feet of commercial space in shops, as well as seven apartments, including one in Hiranandani. Their wealth further comprises 900 grams of gold, diamonds, a gold watch valued at ₹17 lakh, four cars, stakes in two private limited companies, and one automobile firm. Puja Khedkar herself holds property worth ₹17 crore.

Puja Khedkar's Alleged WhatsApp Chat Reveals Her Demands

Khedkar allegedly requested a separate office, a car, and a house before her appointment as Assistant Collector in Pune. WhatsApp messages exchanged with the Pune Collector's office revealed her insistence on these arrangements and her demand for confirmation of her "seating arrangement and vehicle" before her joining date on June 3. 

A preliminary report from the Collector's Office included three screenshots of messages between Khedkar and an unidentified individual, highlighting her demands and persistent follow-ups.

In one of her initial messages, Khedkar introduced herself and inquired about missing documents: “Hello, Dr Puja Khedkar IAS here. I have been posted as Assistant Collector in Pune. Dr Diwase sir gave me your contact number. I would be joining on June 3rd. However, some of my documents sent from Buldhana Collector Office to Pune I am not able to locate in our office. Kindly let me know what can be done.”

The response was, “Ok. No issue. On Monday we can trace.”

Khedkar then requested details about her office and a government car, stating, “so I can arrange accordingly.” She was told these details would be “discussed with Collector sir on Monday.”

On May 23, an impatient Khedkar messaged, “Any update about accommodation, travel, cabin, etc?” When no response came, she followed up the next day with, “Kindly respond. It’s important.”

She was informed, “Good morning... We will check upon your arrival.”

Khedkar appeared frustrated and responded, “I think it should be done before I join, not after. I have many things to plan accordingly and cannot leave it until later.”

After her phone calls went unanswered, Khedkar said, “Is there any problem with calling back?” 

Four days later, she sent an ultimatum: “Please get the designated cabin and vehicle done before I join on 3rd. Later there will be no time. If it is not possible, let me know, and I will talk to Collector sir accordingly.”

The District Collector flagged these unusual demands to the Chief Secretary, suggesting that continuing Khedkar’s training in Pune could be inappropriate and lead to administrative complications.  Khedkar was offered her own chamber but declined it due to the lack of an attached bathroom, according to the Collector’s report. Before joining, Khedkar visited the office with her father, Dilip Khedkar, proposing to use a VIP hall next to the mining department as her cabin. She was informed that such facilities were not entitled to probationary officers and that accommodation would be provided.  

Who is Puja Khedkar?

Pooja Khedkar hails from a family with a notable background in bureaucracy and politics, based in Pathardi tehsil, Ahmednagar district, Maharashtra. Her father, Diliprao Khedkar, is a retired Maharashtra Pollution Control Board officer who is now active in politics. Her paternal grandfather was also a senior bureaucrat. Diliprao ran for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as a Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate, and Pooja’s mother is the sarpanch of their hometown, Bhalgaon village.

Pooja completed her MBBS and made several attempts at the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams. She reportedly qualified for the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) in 2019 but could not join due to alleged "technical issues in her OBC allocation," as mentioned in a mock interview video. She later applied for and obtained a position as Assistant Director with the Sports Authority of India in November 2021.