Police to conduct investigation against IAS trainee Pooja Khedkar

MUMBAI: The Pune Police has launched an investigation against probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar who faced action following allegations of misusing her authority. The Pune police arrived at the residence of the Trainee IAS Officer in Pune on Thursday and collected details of her Audi car.

Pooja had courted controversy for using a red-blue beacon and a 'Maharashtra Government' board on her private Audi car. She was also accused of encroaching on the chamber of the Additional Collector. Following this, the state government issued an order transferring her from Pune to Washim.

It was alleged that Khedkar's father, a retired administrative officer who recently contested the Lok Sabha election from the Ahmednagar seat on the Vanchit Aghadi ticket, had exerted pressure on the District Collector's office to fulfil his daughter's demands, adding to the controversy.

Meanwhile, an RTI activist based in Pune raised questions about Pooja's appointment alleging that she did not fall under the OBC non-creamy layer as her father had assets worth Rs 40 crore.

"As per the rules, only those come under the OBC non-creme layer category whose parents are under 8 lac per annum of income, but their income shows that it is 40 crore. Her parents contested the recent Lok Sabha polls and all the property details are there in the affidavit," RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar said.

"Her father, Dilip Khedkar, in his Lok Sabha polls affidavit, showed a conservative estimated wealth of Rs 40 crore and an annual income of Rs 49 lakh. The information is in the public domain. Based on the election affidavit filed by her father in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the total assets of Khedkar's father amount to Rs 40 crore," Kumbhar claimed.

Don't want to respond to controversies: Pooja
Amidst the controversy, Pooja responded that she was happy to take up the position of Assistant Collector in Washim. The probationary IAS officer, who refused to comment on the allegations, clarified that she was not allowed to speak on these matters as per government rules.