Pune police to investigate Audi car used by probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar following misuse of authority allegations

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], July 11 (ANI): In a significant development, the Pune Police will take action against the Audi car used by probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar who has been recently transferred from Pune to the Washim district of Maharashtra following allegations of misusing her authority.

The Pune police arrived at the residence of the Trainee IAS Officer in Pune on Thursday.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, while speaking to ANI said, “We are here to take action. The gate is closed, but we will proceed with the investigation once it is opened. Pune Police will examine the Audi car used by Trainee IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar under the Motor Vehicles Act.”

“Using beacon on private car is violation of traffic rules. Police will also be recovering pending challans on the car,” he said.

Pune Police Senior Officer, Shafeel Pathan said, “We will take action according to the Motor Vehicle Act. 21 challans are pending on that car…We will send a notice over WhatsApp and try to contact them…It is illegal to write Maharashtra government in a private car. We have not found the car…”

Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer who secured an All India rank of 821 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams has been accused of misusing her authority.

As an assistant collector in Pune, Khedkar was found to have availed facilities not entitled to probationry officers, including allegedly using a red-blue beacon and a “Maharashtra Government” board on her private Audi car.

Additionally, she allegedly occupied the ante-chamber of Additional Collector Ajay More without permission, removed office furniture without consent, and requested unauthorised facilities.

Following a letter from Pune Collector Suhas Divase to the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Khedkar was transferred to Washim district, where she will complete her probationary period as a supernumerary assistant collector.

It has also been alleged that Khedkar’s father, a retired administrative officer who recently contested the Lok Sabha election from the Ahmednagar seat on the Vanchit Aghadi ticket, had exerted pressure on the District Collector’s office to fulfil his daughter’s demands, adding to the controversy.

Pune RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar also raised questions about Khedkar’s appointment alleging that she did not fall under the OBC non-creamy layer as her father had assets worth Rs 40 crore.

“As per the rules, only those come under the OBC non-creme layer category whose parents are under 8 lac per annum of income, but their income shows that it is 40 crore. Her parents contested the recent Lok Sabha polls and all the property details are there in the affidavit,” he said.

“Her father, Dilip Khedkar, in his Lok Sabha polls affidavit, showed a conservative estimated wealth of Rs 40 crore and an annual income of Rs 49 lakh. The information is in the public domain. Based on the election affidavit filed by her father in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the total assets of Khedkar’s father amount to Rs 40 crore,” Kumbhar claimed.