Puja Khedkar, IAS Officer, Absent from Training as Controversy Surrounds Her Selection

Puja Khedkar, a trainee IAS officer of the 2023 batch, has failed to report at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie within the allotted timeframe. Her training has been put on hold amidst allegations of using forged disability and caste certificates to secure her position. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has taken legal action against her for allegedly falsifying information in her civil services application, potentially barring her from future examinations.

The Delhi Police has initiated a criminal case against Khedkar based on accusations that she misrepresented facts to obtain additional attempts in the UPSC exams beyond the permissible limit. Concurrently, the LBSNAA has frozen her training after she ranked 821 in the merit list, benefitting from exemptions for OBC non-creamy layer and multiple disabilities, despite not fulfilling mandatory medical check-ups.

In addition, Pune collector Dr. Suhas Diwase has raised concerns over Khedkar's demands for privileges such as an office, staff, and a government vehicle during her training tenure demands she allegedly made without entitlement. Additionally, she faced scrutiny for purportedly misusing official symbols and privileges, such as displaying a red-blue beacon on her private Audi car.

The controversy extends beyond Puja Khedkar herself, implicating her family in various legal troubles. Her father, a former Maharashtra government officer, faces corruption charges and has been suspended multiple times in the past. Meanwhile, her mother, a Sarpanch, is embroiled in a legal issue related to brandishing a gun in public. Moreover, questions have arisen regarding Khedkar's claim of OBC non-creamy layer status, tied to her parents' marital status, prompting authorities to seek clarification from the Pune Police.​