[anjan_c2007]

Dr Pooja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer and Assistant Collector, Pune, of the 2023 batch was posted in Pune. Her personal Audi had a red-blue beacon light atop its hood with a VIP number also garishly painting "Maharashtra Shashan" in red on its bodyline. To add more to the controversy, she unauthorisedly occupied the chamber of the Additional Collector, Pune.

The controversy involving Dr Khedkar escalated due to reports of her seeking special privileges not typically given to probationary officers. These privileges included using her private Audi car equipped with a red-blue beacon light and a VIP number plate, actions which sparked administrative unrest and public criticism. The father-daughter duo proposed to use a VIP hall located next to the mining department as her cabin. Puja Khedkar was told she was not entitled to these facilities while she was on her probation period
The District Collector of Pune in his report said that it would not be appropriate to continue Khedkar's training in Pune and mentioned this could lead to administrative issues. The probationer made some outlandish demands even before taking charge as the Assistant Collector of Pune. The probationary IAS officer demanded a separate office, car, and a house for herself even before taking charge. The District Collector flagged these unusual demands to the Chief Secretary.

A video on YouTube:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPCy1ACWxjc

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar raised concerns about Dr Khedkar's eligibility for the IAS. He questioned how her family's financial status, including her father's assets valued at Rs 40 crore, fit within the non-creamy layer criteria. She had claimed privileges under the non creamy OBC layer and a special disability. Whereas, her father was a candidate for a recent election. He had filed an affidavit stating that his annual income was much, much higher than the below Rs 8 L threshold for the non- creamy OBC layer. Critics have also noted alleged attempts by Dr Khedkar's retired administrative officer father to influence local officials to meet his daughter's demands, adding another layer to the controversy.

She has been transferred to Washim in Eastern Maharashtra in the same capacity.

The newslinks:-

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/.../111632685.cms

https://www.businesstoday.in/india/s...691-2024-07-11

[JediKnight]

Originally Posted by anjan_c2007

These privileges included using her private Audi car equipped with a red-blue beacon light and a VIP number plate, actions which sparked administrative unrest and public criticism.

Thanks for bringing this up. These kind of "babus" have become a public nuisance. Instead of serving the public they act like bullies openly flouting laws and trying to dominate by flashing their "status". They should be named and shamed. The officer should be suspended, and a tax scrutiny done on her and her father's accounts.

[anjan_c2007]

A tweet by activist Mr Vijay Kumbhar:-

Pooja Khedkar became an IAS officer from the OBC non-creamy layer category. Her father's election affidavit shows his income and wealth as Rs 40 crores. How can such income fall into the non-creamy layer? She has admitted to being mentally ill and a person with multiple disabilities; however, she skipped medical examinations several times. How did she qualify for IAS? These are big questions.

Data shared through the X post:-





Claimed mental disability (MD)



The link with facts and figures:-

https://twitter.com/VijayKumbhar62/s...WflB2Cu4w&s=19

[NomadSK]

Save the soul, she has multiple disabilities, probably one of them being under-developed brain cells, which is clearly being shown with her actions and genetically passed on to her.

[saket77]

Only transferred? I read that even UPSC challenged her appointment because of her low rank in the examination.

A proper enquiry should be done. Now doubts have emerged also about the fact that her appointment has also been done by flouting the rules. Now if IAS appointments are also made by influence, then it is a disgrace on the examination & the system itself. What happens at other Govt exam & appointments leaves hardly anything for imagination.

[roy_libran]

Kudos to Dr. Pooja for inculcating and embodying, as only a probationary officer, all the trappings and maybe more, of the Admin. Services.
I wonder why she is being hauled over coals for doing early, what most of them eventually do.
Hope she comes out of this glitch with glowing accolades and suitable recompense.

[dailydriver]

The veracity of her claims and the validity of her selection are things that will be looked into and lacerated by the media, the government and the Public Service Commission in the days to come. As a law abiding citizen and as a Bhpian, my grouse is on two points:

1. Her use of beacon light on a private vehicle (which, going by the news reports, isn't officially hers.

2. The said Audi - as per The Indian Express- having pending traffic violation challans amounting to ₹27,000/-.

Pretty irresponsible of the bureaucrat, one must say.

[SmartCat]

Found her IAS 'mock interview' (from unacademy):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyRAx_js-Fs

[Vikash Kumawat]

As of now she is a probationary IAS officer and a trainy. I can't even imagine what she will do after becoming a Collector ?

[AKSarkar1]

Being a part of Maharashtra civil services I can vehemently say that this woman is not fit to be a part of the system, not here, not anywhere else. Luckily, this platform gives me the required anonymity to say this.

To me, the main problem with this woman is the sheer arrogance that she has within 11 months of becoming an IAS Officer. It is quite evident that her only aim to come into the system is to serve herself and not the people. In all my years in the system, I have seen good officers and the not-so-good ones, but never seen someone so delusional, power drunk and entitled as her. To me, she is no different than the Porsche or the BMW driver who broke rules due to their arrogance and power.

Reprimanding her is not the solution, she should be sacked from the service ASAP and the people on the UPSC board who selected her to be a fit candidate in the IAS out of all the other services should be barred from any future appointments committees. Really sad and pathetic to see that our premier civil services institution has selected a character which such poor show, integrity and intelligence over lakhs of other deserving candidates.

Hopefully UPSC or the Maharashtra Secretariat rectifies this problem!

[GTX+]

Originally Posted by Vikash Kumawat

As of now she is a probationary IAS officer and a trainy. I can't even imagine what she will do after becoming a Collector ?

Will drive in a Bentley with beacon!!

[dailydriver]

The difference between a typical social media post and an entry on TeamBhp is the sense of responsibility that all our comments invariably carry. In the instant case, I feel we are being carried away by the sentiments mirrored in the media and commenting on an officer who happens to be a specially abled woman. Until at least the ongoing probe looks into her supposed demeanors and comes out with its findings, it behoves us to temper down the heat and look at her as an accused and not a confirmed culprit.

Even from the legal standpoint, a few unsavoury comments might end up ruffling the feathers of the many statutory and government bodies contributing to and involved in the ongoing controversy. It is better to err on the side of caution.

Apart from the visible misuse of an erring vehicle, all other issues are, at this moment, mere imputations. So, kindly tread softly.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

The veracity of her claims and the validity of her selection are things that will be looked into and lacerated by the media, the government and the Public Service Commission in the days to come. As a law abiding citizen and as a Bhpian, my grouse is on two points:

1. Her use of beacon light on a private vehicle (which, going by the news reports, isn't officially hers.

2. The said Audi - as per The Indian Express- having pending traffic violation challans amounting to ₹27,000/-.

Pretty irresponsible of the bureaucrat, one must say.

I can't believe that off all the information out there, the red beacon is what you find the most hideous. She
- gave false income certificate
- gave false disability information
- did not attend the medical test at AIIMS for disability test ( but still was selected ).
- put pressure on the offices ( through her father ) to get a private office, peon, etc etc

Originally Posted by dailydriver

The difference between a typical social media post and an entry on TeamBhp is the sense of responsibility that all our comments invariably carry. In the instant case, I feel we are being carried away by the sentiments mirrored in the media and commenting on an officer who happens to be a specially abled woman. Until at least the ongoing probe looks into her supposed demeanors and comes out with its findings, it behoves us to temper down the heat and look at her as an accused and not a confirmed culprit.

Even from the legal standpoint, a few unsavoury comments might end up ruffling the feathers of the many statutory and government bodies contributing to and involved in the ongoing controversy. It is better to err on the side of caution.

Apart from the visible misuse of an erring vehicle, all other issues are, at this moment, mere imputations. So, kindly tread softly.

Any reason for being so soft on this person? There is proof out there that these are not mere accusations.

[PreludeSH]

Originally Posted by dailydriver

Apart from the visible misuse of an erring vehicle, all other issues are, at this moment, mere imputations. So, kindly tread softly.

Isn't she also part of the creamy layer ? Dont know about the specially abled part since she did not agree to undergo medical tests at designated centre. She gave the results from a centre of her own choosing.

The letter she wrote asking for car, office etc are true. Also, looking at the list of ranks I dont think 821 is that bad. But furnishing false details should have severe punishment.

Isn't the interview round favourable to children whose parents are bureaucrats already ?

I am surprised though that this thread opened up on TBHP. In our country, entitlement, corruption are part of the system and process.

[curiousdemigod]

She forged an OBC certificate. Going by her ITR details and the declarations her ex-bureaucrat father submitted during elections clearly shows that they're way over the creamy layer limits.

She submitted a PwD certificate, obviously visual disabilities, because that's something common 'peasants' can't notice. Evaded the disability checks more than once citing 'reasons'. Also she appeared in the previous examinations as an open category candidate.

And I'm yet to understand the logic, how someone with a mental disability certificate can be allowed to sit on an administrative position? Isn't this a fault of UPSC or state?

Her demands are outrageous, yes, but forging certificates and getting selected as an IAS, in an examination lakhs of students just dream to crack. That is something for which even UPSC and the state should be proved.

Driving with a red beacon on an Audi with thousands of rupees of unpaid challans? That's something every third or so person in our country takes pride in. She's nothing different, an exam doesn't makes you a different person.

And about a few posts mentioning that she should be treated not so harshly, because everything is hearsay. I'd like to say one thing. The outrageous Pune Porsche incident was also a hearsay by that logic, who knows who was driving a car. If a District Magistrate's actions can be called merely accusations, going by that, I don't see any point in believing just a roadside spectator.