IAS Trainee, Who Used Red Beacon On Private Car And Demanded Separate Cabin, Transferred

Puja Khedkar was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at Pune collector's office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office.

A probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officer in Maharashtra's Pune has been transferred before the completion of her training for misusing her power as a civil servant. 

Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer, has been transferred from Pune to Washim after she stirred controversy with requests such as a separate cabin and staff. She will be transferred to the post of supernumerary assistant collector of Washim.

Puja was caught allegedly misusing her power as an assistant collector in Pune. She also used her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and a VIP number plate, leading to a controversy.

The probationary officer had also installed a 'Maharashtra government' board on her private car.

However, the issue escalated after she occupied the chamber of additional collector Ajay More while he was away, and put up a board with her name.

She made changes in the chamber without Ajay’s consent by removing his chairs, sofas and tables. She also demanded letterhead, a nameplate, visiting cards, paperweight, royal seal and an intercom in her name. 

Why Govt Acted Against Puja Khedkar?

The move to transfer her from Pune was taken when Pune district collector Suhas Diwase wrote a letter, dated June 24, 2024, to Maharashtra chief secretary Nitin Kareer stating her misconduct. 

As per the report submitted by Diwse, even before joining duty on June 3, Khedkar repeatedly demanded that she be provided a separate cabin, car, residential quarters and a peon.

The letter read, “When I spoke to her, what I realised is that she has a lot of expectations from the administration, just because she is an IAS officer. She is demanding all these things, along with respect, as she feels it is her right. I personally spoke to her and tried to explain to her that she will get all of this once she completes her probation and does her duties diligently. But this is of no use and her behaviour does not suit the administration”.

She was told that she was not entitled to these facilities on probation, and accommodation will be provided to her. She was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at Pune collector's office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office. 

Puja’s father, Dilip Khedkar, frightened the district staff by accusing them of mistreating his daughter and cautioning them about potential consequences, Suhas Diwase said. Puja’s father is a retired IAS officer.

The issue has also led to political uproar with the Aam Aadmi Party raising concerns over her UPSC selection from the OBC non-creamy layer category.

"Pooja Khedkar became an IAS officer from the OBC non-creamy layer category. Her father's election affidavit shows his income and wealth as Rs 40 crores. How can such income fall into the non-creamy layer? She has admitted to being mentally ill and a person with multiple disabilities; however, she skipped medical examinations several times. How did she qualify for IAS? These are big questions," Vijay Kumbhar, AAP leader from Maharashtra, said in a post on X.