IAS Probationer Puja Khedkar, Caught With Red Beacon On Private Car, Claims Mental Disability

Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer of the 2022 batch of the Maharashtra cadre, allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam, reported PTI citing an official. The claim comes a day after she was transferred from Pune to Washim for using her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and VIP number plate.

The official stated that Khedkar appeared for the civil services exam under the OBC and visually impaired categories, adding that she also submitted a mental illness certificate. Earlier in April 2022, she was asked to report at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi for verification of her disability certificate. However, she did not go for the verification citing Covid as a reason.

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Puja Khedkar's Father Has Assets Worth Rs 40 Crore

According to officials, her father Dilip Khedkar, who is a renown government officer, has property valued at Rs 40 crore, as per to a declaration made by him while contesting Lok Sabha polls.

Puja Khedkar Appeared For UPSC Exam Under OBC Category

However, Pooja Khedkar took the civil services test in the OBC category, where the creamy layer certificate is limited to an annual parental income of Rs 8 lakh, according to an official.

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After starting as a probationary officer in Pune, Khedkar allegedly demanded a VIP number plate for an Audi sedan and installed a red beacon on the vehicle. Junior officers on 24-month probation do not qualify for any of these benefits.

According to reports cited by NDTV, her father, a retired administrative officer, pressed for the fulfillment of her demands.