Pune: Dr Puja Khedkar’s father is a millionaire, he contested Lok Sabha poll on Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi ticket

Pune: Dr Puja Khedkar, the probationary IAS officer of 2023 batch, is in the limelight for all wrong reasons. She was recently transferred from the District Collectorate, Pune to Washim. She was consistently demanding a residence, a separate office and other facilities given to an IAS officer. She was also using the beacon on her private vehicle and other government insignia.

According to the details, Khedkar’s father contested the Lok Sabha election from the South Ahmednagar constituency on the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) ticket. Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar has objected to the appointment of Puja Khedkar. He said, “Her father Dilip Khedkar fought the General Election. His total assets amount to Rs 40 crore. His annual income is Rs 49 lakh.

“Puja Khedkar has secured the IAS post from the ‘visually impaired’ quota. She has also availed the OBC non-creamy layer certificate. Dilip Khedkar is a retired officer from the Pollution Control Board. The non-creamy layer income should be up to Rs 8 lakh. If her father’s annual income is Rs 49 lakh, how could she avail the non-creamy layer certificate?”

Dilip Khedkar had faced corruption allegations when he was a government officer. He was suspended too. His native is Bhalgaon, Pathardi in Ahmednagar district. He has an engineering degree and has two children. Puja Khedkar is a probationary IAS officer while son Piyush is studying in London. Dilip Khedkar received 13,000 votes in the Lok Sabha polls.

Dilip Khedkar’s brother Manik Khedkar was the taluka president of the BJP. According to sources, Dilip had prayed to Mohotadevi for Pankaja Munde’s candidature in the Lok Sabha. He had vowed to dedicate a 1.5-kg silver crown to Mohotadevi. He fulfilled the vow after Munde got the party ticket. He decided to contest on the VBA ticket after his differences with Sujay Vikhe Patil.

Puja Khedkar was demanding the facilities not granted to a probationary IAS officer. Later, the District Collector, Pune submitted a report about her conduct and she was shifted to Washim. Puja had usurped the antechamber of the Additional District Collector.