Central Government has launched an inquiry into the credentials of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar

The Central Government has established a single-member committee to investigate the candidature claims and other details of Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer recently embroiled in controversy over her alleged misuse of power. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions announced that the committee, headed by an Additional Secretary-level officer, will submit its findings within two weeks.

This inquiry comes in response to allegations surrounding Ms. Khedkar’s conduct and qualifications. A 2023-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, she secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 841 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam. Controversy arose when she was found using her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and a VIP number plate. She allegedly demanded facilities not typically available to probationary officers.

A report by Pune Collector Suhas Diwse detailed Ms. Khedkar’s repeated demands for special treatment, including a separate cabin, car, residential quarters, and a peon, even before officially beginning her training on June 3. These requests were denied. The IAS trainee was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office. This controversy led to Ms. Khedkar’s transfer from Pune to Washim in central Maharashtra.

Further allegations suggest Ms. Khedkar may have submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports also claim she provided a mental illness certificate but failed to report to AIIMS Delhi for verification when summoned in April 2022, citing a Covid infection.