Puja Diliprao Khedkar, a trainee IAS officer of 2023 batch serving in Pune has hit the headlines for demanding an official car with a VIP number plate, red-blue beacon light, and an official chamber with adequate staff at her call.
This has forced Pune collector Dr Suhas Diwase to write to the chief secretary Sujata Saunik, seeking guidance.
As per the administrative rules, these facilities are not available for any probationer. However, Khedkar's father Diliprao, a retired administrative officer has been reportedly pressurising the district collectors's office for fulfilling his daughter's demands. He has also threatened the officers saying that they would face dire consequences if his daughter's demands are not fulfilled.
In the meantime, trainee officer Khedkar has been using her private vehicle and has applied a VIP number plate on it. She is also said to have encroached on the office of Additional Collector Ajay More in his absence. She put up her sign on his chamber door in his absence and claimed the space as her own office chamber.
Puja Khedkar joined IAS using pressure
The tale of Khedkar entering the IAS is also well-known and notorious.
According to the UPSC communication dated February 2, 2022, Pooja Khedkar was denied an appointment. However, she filed an affidavit in court claiming to be visually challenged and mentally unwell, and her suit sought an order against the federal government and UPSC.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
