Mumbai: Puja Khedkar, the 34-year-old trainee IAS officer, on Tuesday filed a harassment case against Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase, who reported her alleged misuse of power to the state government which led to her transfer from Pune to Washim, newswire PTI reported citing sources.
Khedkar is under intense media scrutiny for her claims on disability as well as using the OBC non-creamy layer quota for clearing the IAS. She is also facing the heat for her conduct when she was posted in the Pune Collector’s office.
Moreover, cops also visited Puja Khedkar’s house on Monday night in connection with their investigation into the case. “Women police personnel visited Khedkar at her residence in Washim on Monday when she lodged a complaint of harassment against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase,” an official said.
She, however, refused to elaborate on the purpose of the police personnel’s visit while speaking to media. “I had called female police personnel because I had some work,” she told reporters.
Diwase in his letter to the Chief Secretary raised the demands made by the 2023-batch IAS officer. Khedkar sought special privileges from the Collector’s office which were not allowed for a probation officer.
The Collector said that she sought a designated cabin and vehicle even before her joining on June 3. He further mentioned that Khedkar was offered her own chamber but she refused to take it because of the lack of an attached bathroom.
Puja Khedkar’s WhatsApp chats revealed that she directed the officer to arrange what she demanded before her joining. “Pls get the designated cabin m vehicle done before I join on 3rd. Later there will be no time. If it is not possible let me know, I will talk to collector sir accordingly,” she told the officer.
In his report, Diwase suggested it would be inappropriate to continue Puja Khedkar’s training in Pune. He also mentioned that this could lead to administrative complications. After this report, Khedkar was transferred to Washim for the completion of her training. The allegations of misuse of power led to details about allegedly forging disability certificates to clear the civil services exam.
Amid the fracas, the Centre on Tuesday put Khedkar’s ‘district training program’ on hold. The order by the Centre said that she has been relieved of her training duties and that she has been asked to report to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) by July 23.
