Puja Khedkar Lodges Harassment Complaint Against Pune District Collector

Puja Khedkar has accused Pune District Collector of harassment, prompting an investigation by female police personnel in Maharashtra's Washim. The complaint arose amid scrutiny over Khedkar's disability and OBC certificates during her IAS recruitment and allegations regarding her conduct in Pune.

Washim: Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar has lodged a complaint of harassment against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase at Washim in eastern Maharashtra, an official said on Tuesday. Diwase did not respond to calls and messages seeking his reaction.

Khedkar is under the scanner for her claims on her disability as well as OBC certificates while clearing the IAS and also for her conduct when she was posted in the Pune collector's office. "Women police personnel visited Khedkar at her residence in Washim on Monday and she lodged a complaint of harassment against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase," the official said.

Earlier in the day, Khedkar refused to elaborate on the purpose of the visit by police personnel while speaking to TV news channels. "I had called female police personnel because I had some work," she had said.

Amid the row, the government on Tuesday put on hold the 'district training program' of Khedkar as she was summoned back to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for "necessary action".

Khedkar was transferred to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector from Pune after Diwase submitted a report to senior officials about her conduct such as allegedly demanding the facilities which she, as a trainee IAS official, was not entitled to, and occupying the ante-chamber of a senior official.

Asked what would be the next course of action regarding her complaint, the official at Washim said it will be forwarded to the Pune police. Diwase, meanwhile, did not respond to repeated calls and a message seeking his comment.