Puja Khedkar’s audi racks up 21 fines

Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar is central to a huge controversy. She is accused of making false claims in her UPSC application and misusing her power.

| Updated: 12 July, 2024 2:30 pm IST

rainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar is central to a huge controversy. She is accused of making false claims in her UPSC application and misusing her power. This includes using unauthorized red beacon lights and a "Government of Maharashtra" sticker on her private Audi. Recently, her Audi has drawn even more attention after Pune Traffic Police revealed it has 21 traffic violation complaints. The allegations include rec

NEW DELHI: Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar is central to a huge controversy. She is accused of making false claims in her UPSC application and misusing her power. This includes using unauthorized red beacon lights and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her private Audi. Recently, her Audi has drawn even more attention after Pune Traffic Police revealed it has 21 traffic violation complaints.

The allegations include reckless driving and not following traffic rules. Authorities have issued a notice to Puja Khedkar, asking her to pay a fine of ₹27,000.

“We discovered that your private vehicle has ‘Maharashtra Government’ written on the front and back, along with a beacon light,” said the notice. A police official went to her Pune home to deliver it, but no one was there.

People are now questioning why the Pune Police didn’t act earlier despite the many traffic violations.

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Ms. Khedkar is a 2023-batch IAS officer who ranked 841st in the UPSC exam. She comes from a public service-oriented family; her father, Dilip Khedkar, is a retired administrative officer.

The 32-year-old IAS officer from the 2023 batch, Khedkar, is also accused of misusing benefits under the physical disabilities category and the OBC quota to secure her IAS position.

The Navi Mumbai police reported to the Maharashtra government that Khedkar allegedly tried to pressure a DCP-rank officer to release a man held in a theft case, an official said on Friday.

The incident took place on May 18 at the Panvel police station. Khedkar called Deputy Commissioner of Police Vivek Pansare, urging him to release Ishwar Uttarwade, a transporter arrested for theft.

Khedkar claimed Uttarwade was innocent and that the charges were minor. The official noted that although Khedkar identified herself, Pansare was unsure if it was really an IAS officer or an imposter.

Amid the growing controversy, the 24-year-old has been transferred to Washim. When asked about the allegations, Ms. Khedkar told reporters, “I am not authorized to speak on the issue. Government rules don’t allow me to comment on this.”