Centre directs Pune cops to share details about Trainee IAS Puja Khedkar’s parents
Centre discharges Puja Khedkar from Indian Administrative Service with immediate effect
The Pune police have been directed by the central government to furnish details regarding the marital status of the parents of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar. This action comes amidst allegations that Puja allegedly secured advantages under the OBC non-creamy layer quota for the UPSC exam by falsely claiming her parents were separate.
According to regulations, eligibility for the OBC non-creamy layer category is determined by an annual income threshold of ₹8 lakh or less. Puja had asserted that she lived with her mother, Manorama, stating her parents were separated, which supposedly qualified her for the quota. However, reports indicate her father, Dilip Khedkar, retired as a Class I officer from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
Further complicating matters, a video of a mock interview with Puja reveals her assertion of parental separation and lack of contact with her father. Puja also faces accusations of misusing privileges during her training at the Pune district collectorate, including the alleged inappropriate use of a luxury Audi car bearing government insignia.
The situation has escalated with a criminal case recently filed against Puja in Delhi, citing misrepresentation and falsification of facts. The UPSC has issued a show cause notice contemplating the cancellation of her 2022 exam candidature and potential disqualification from future exams.
Additionally, Puja’s mother, Manorama, is currently incarcerated following her arrest by Pune rural police in connection with a 2023 case involving criminal intimidation during a land dispute.
Authorities are actively investigating these allegations to ascertain the veracity of the claims against Puja Khedkar, whose career as a civil servant now hangs in the balance pending official inquiries and legal proceedings.
