Who Is Pooja Khedkar? Trainee IAS Officer Creating Controversies, Makes VIP Demands

Pooja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer in Pune, was transferred to Washim in central Maharashtra on Tuesday after being accused of misusing her power as a civil servant. According to an official order, she will finish her training in Washim until July 30, 2025.

Who is Pooja Khedkar ?

Pooja Khedkar is a 2022-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre. According to reports, she secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 841 in the UPSC exam.

What Is The Controversy Revolving Around The IAS Officer?

Pooja Khedkar recently faced controversy for using her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and a VIP number plate.

She also requested special privileges not typically given to probationary IAS officers, including a separate cabin, car, residential quarters, and a peon, even before starting her trainee duties on June 3.

These requests were denied, according to a report by Pune collector Suhas Diwse to the General Administration Department.

Her father, a retired administrative officer, allegedly pressured the district collector’s office to fulfill her demands. Khedkar was also accused of removing a senior official’s nameplate at the Pune collector’s office to use his office space.

Additionally, she allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports indicated she also provided a mental illness certificate to avoid verification of her disability certificate at AIIMS, Delhi, in April 2022, claiming a COVID-19 infection as the reason for not reporting.

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Mock Interview:

In a mock interview shared on social media by a private coaching academy, Pooja Khedkar stated that her parents are separated and she has no contact with them. However, after starting her duties in Pune, her father accompanied her and pressured a senior officer to provide her with the antechamber.