Puja Khedkar: The last ultimo, trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, again is in the midst of controversy and necessarily under probe as she is relieved from the District Training Program of the Maharashtra government. These unfolding developments are throwing very serious allegations and administrative actions against her.
Allegations and Transfer
Puja Khedkar, who had recently been transferred from Pune to Washim, was playing truant by entrapping herself in a web of her so-called disability and OBC certificates in acquiring a reservation for herself in her recruitment to the civil services. The notice resulted in quick action by the administration, with her being transferred and removed from the District Training Program.
Official Notice and Recall
Additional Chief Secretary Nitin Gadre has issued an order to call Khedkar back from her district training. The program at the LBSNAA, Mussoorie, has been kept in abeyance until further inquiry into the allegation against Khedkar. She has been asked to report back by July 23, 2024, indication enough of how seriously the matter is being looked at.
Probe, govt action
Taking suo motu cognizance of the charges, the Maharashtra government has ordered an inquiry and has constituted a one-member committee to investigate the charges against Khedkar. This may help to erase the impression that these allegations of certificate manipulation and misconduct are not of much consequence for the government.
Response and Committee Hearing
Puja Khedkar has expressed her readiness to cooperate with the investigation panel by saying she is prepared to accept whatever decision the officials reach. She is trying to make the process of clarifying the charges very transparent and in line with the proper procedure.
Further Allegations, Police Enquirements
Apart from the certificate manipulation charges, Khedkar has also come under criticism for her alleged demands of separate office facilities, an official vehicle, and unauthorized use of a beacon in her private car. These additional charges have added layers to the ongoing probe into her conduct.
Medical Certificate Controversy
The controversy further heated up when some media reports doubted the veracity of her medical certificates, more so when she was suffering from partial “locomotor disability.” The police in Pune have launched a verification drive on these documents in haste to determine whether the aforementioned Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri had certified her medical conditions.
Pre-employment demands for an exclusive office space, a dedicated vehicle, and residential accommodations, as underlined by documents accessed from the office of the General Administration Department, have raised administrative concerns even before her official commencement of duties on June 3.
The unfolding situation around Puja Khedkar shows just how complex such a person can be and how civil servants are subject to scrutiny; thus, the need for upholding integrity or following the civil corn administrative protocol to the latter into public service. As investigations continue, the final result will unravel her fate and expand to be a lesson to all on ethical bureaucratic accountability within Maharashtra.
