Trainee IAS Pooja Khedkar Recruited In OBC Category, Father Has 40 Cr Assets; PMO, LBSNAA Seek Report

A controversy has risen over trainee IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, who appeared for the civil services exam under the OBC non-creamy layer and disability categories after inconsistencies were found in her claims. Now, reports have been sought from the state government by the PMO and LBSNAA.

Pune:The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) have sought reports from the Maharashtra government on probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, who allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Classes (OBC) non-creamy layer certificates for clearing the civil services exam.

Pune RTI activist Vijay Kumhar pointed out that Khedkar herself possesses wealth amounting to Rs 17 crore while her father's poll affidavit showed assets worth Rs 40 crore. As per the norms, candidates whose parents' annual income is below Rs 8 lakh comes under the category of OBC non-creamy layer. Kumhar has asked as to whether this calls for an investigation or not.

The state government on Monday transferred Khedkar from Pune district collector's office to Washim after videos of her private Audi car fitted with red and blue beacon light and a 'Maharashtra government' board, went viral on social media. She has been accused of misusing her authority and availing special privileges not entitled to an IAS probationary officer.

She allegedly occupied the ante-chamber of additional collector Ajay More without permission, removed office furniture without consent and sought facilities she was not entitled to.

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

Now, questions are being raised on the authenticity of the OBC and disability certificates that Khedkar had submitted for selection in the civil services. It has been revealed that she had skipped the medical tests on six occasions.

It has also come to light that Khedkar parents own nearly 110 acres of agricultural land, which social activist Kumhar has termed illegal as the Agricultural Land Ceiling Act permits a person to keep only 54 acres of land. Also, they have six shops of 1.6 lakh square feet, seven flats including one in Hiranandani, 900 grams of gold, diamond jewellery, a gold watch worth Rs 17 lakh and four cars. They also have a partnership in two private limited companies and an automobile company.

Khedkar, a 2022 batch probationary IAS officer was appointed as an assistant collector in Pune in June. She is the daughter of Dilip Khedkar, a former civil servant from Pathardi in Ahmednagar district. Dilip Khedkar had served as commissioner of Pollution Control Board of the state and after retirement, he contested in the Lok Sabha elections from Ahmednagar South with the support of VBA. Her mother Manorama Khedkar is a sarpanch of Bhalgaon.

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