Puja Khedkar, a 34-year-old trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, filed a harassment case on Tuesday against Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase. According to newswire PTI, citing sources, Khedkar was transferred from Pune to Washim after the state government reported her alleged misuse of power. Khedkar is facing intense media scrutiny for her claims of disability and for using the OBC non-creamy layer quota to clear the IAS. She is also criticised for her behaviour while working in the Pune Collector’s office.
In addition, police visited Puja Khedkar’s home on Monday night as part of their investigation. “Women police personnel visited Khedkar at her residence in Washim on Monday when she complained of harassment against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase,” a source said.
But in an interview with the media, she declined to provide further details about the reason for the police officers’ visit. She told reporters, “I had some work, so I had called female police personnel.”
Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar aged only one year between 2020 and 2023, used different names on applications
Diwase brought up the claims made by the IAS officer from the 2023 batch in his correspondence with the Chief Secretary. Khedkar asked the Collector’s office for special treatment that a probation officer was not entitled to.
The Collector stated that even before her arrival on June 3, she requested a specific cabin and car. He added that Khedkar was offered a private room, but she turned it down as it didn’t have an attached bathroom.
According to Puja Khedkar’s WhatsApp conversations, she told the officer to make the arrangements she required before joining. Please finish the specified cabin car before I arrive on the third. There won’t be time later. She informed the officer, “If it is not possible, please let me know and I will speak with the collector sir accordingly.”
