Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar files harassment complaint against Pune district collector
Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar has lodged a police complaint alleging harassment by Pune district collector Suhas Diwase. "Women police personnel visited Khedkar at her residence in Washim on Monday when she lodged a complaint of harassment against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase," an official stated.
Puja Khedkar recently came under scrutiny following reports that she demanded perks and facilities she was not entitled to as a trainee IAS officer during her tenure in Pune, where she served as assistant collector.
Who is Suhas Diwase?
Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase was the one who formally reported Khedkar's misconduct to the state chief secretary. In a detailed report, Diwase described Khedkar's "sense of entitlement" and problematic behavior during her probation period in Pune.
In his letter dated June 24, Diwase highlighted that Khedkar not only made unreasonable demands but also that her father, Deelip Khedkar, a retired IAS officer, allegedly pressured district staff to meet his daughter's demands. Diwase emphasized that continuing Khedkar's training in Pune would be inappropriate and could lead to administrative complications. He also noted that she rejected an offered office chamber because it did not have an attached bathroom.
Following Diwase's report, the state government transferred the 32-year-old probationary IAS officer to Washim district as a supernumerary assistant collector.
Khedkar's Training Program Suspended
On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government announced that Khedkar’s district training program was put on hold amid allegations of her using fraudulent means to clear her civil services examination. This includes accusations of forging disability certificates. Khedkar has been summoned back to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie by July 23 for "necessary action."
"You are hereby relieved from the district training program of the state government of Maharashtra... You are instructed to join the academy at the earliest but not later than 23rd July 2024 under any circumstance," stated a letter issued by Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Nitin Gadre.
Accusations Against Puja Khedkar
The 34-year-old Maharashtra cadre officer faces allegations of using fraudulent means to pass her civil services exam, including forging Other Backward Classes (OBC) non-creamy layer (NCL) certificates and disability certificates. Khedkar, a 2023-batch officer, had submitted multiple medical certificates to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), one of which indicated visual impairment under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) provision.
Last week, the Union government established a one-member committee "to verify the candidature" of Khedkar and instructed it to submit a report within two weeks. Additionally, both the Maharashtra chief secretary’s office and the director’s office of the LBSNAA have launched inquiries into the allegations of forgery against Khedkar.
