Trainee Indian Administrative Service officer Puja Khedkar said on Monday that it was wrong to hold her “guilty by media trial”, in response to allegations that she misused disability concessions and the Other Backward Classes quota, reported PTI.
Khedkar told mediapersons in Maharashtra’s Washim district, where she was transferred from Pune last week, that she would testify before a committee appointed to look into the allegations. “I think whatever decision the committee will take should be acceptable to all,” she said.
The probationary IAS officer has been at the centre of controversy since earlier this month, when allegations surfaced that she sought the appointment of staffers, including a constable, as well as a separate house and car – facilities that she was not entitled to as a probationary officer. She was also accused of using a red and blue beacon and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her private car.
The probationary officer reportedly appeared for the Union Public Service Commission exam in 2022, claiming to be visually impaired and mentally ill. However, she allegedly did not undergo medical tests to validate her claims.
On July 11, the Centre formed a panel to look into Khedkar’s candidature claims, including those about being visually and mentally impaired and about belonging to the non-creamy layer of the Other Backward Classes. The panel has been asked to submit a report in two weeks.
Declining to go into details about the probe, Khedkar said on Monday: “My job here [in Washim] as a probationer is to work and learn and that is what I am doing. The experts of the government [committee] will decide. Neither I nor you [media] or the public can decide.”
She added: “The Constitution is based on the fact that you are innocent until proven guilty,” she said. “So proving me guilty by media trial is wrong on everybody’s part.”
The controversy regarding Khedkar’s appointment erupted after Pune-based Right to Information activist Vijay Kumbhar alleged that Khedkar became a civil services officer in the Other Backward Class quota. In this category, those whose parents’ annual income is more than Rs 8 lakh are classified in the creamy layer.
The IAS official’s father, Diliprao Khedkar, had unsuccessfully contested this year’s Lok Sabha election as a Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate. Kumbhar claimed that his election affidavit showed his wealth to be around Rs 40 crore, The Hindu reported.
Diliprao Khedkar is a retired Maharashtra Pollution Control Board officer.
FIR against parents
The Pune Police on July 12 registered a first information report against Puja Khedkar’s mother Manorama Khedkar, Diliprao Khedkar, Ambadas Khedkar of Ambi village in Haveli and other unidentified persons for allegedly threatening farmers in Mulshi, reported The Indian Express.
The report was registered on a complaint by a 65-year-old farmer, Pandharinath Pasalkar.
While the police visited their residence on Sunday and Monday, the accused have been untraceable so far.
“We have not been able to enter the premises,” an unidentified police officer was quoted as saying by The Hindu. “Manorama Khedkar’s mobile phone is also switched off. We plan to set up [an] enquiry and take legal action against her once she is found.”
This came after a video of Manorama Khedkar allegedly threatening a farmer with a gun in connection with a land dispute surfaced.
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