Puja Khedkar's Father Dilip Was Embroiled In Extortion Complaints, Suspended Twice

Dilip Khedkar, father of controversial trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, has been suspended twice over corruption allegations during his tenure as a Maharashtra government officer.

Recently, both he and his wife Manorama Khedkar have been implicated in a case after a video went viral showing Manorama allegedly threatening individuals with a gun. This incident has prompted a probe by the Pune Anti Corruption Bureau following allegations of disproportionate assets against Dilip Khedkar.

According to an NDTV report, Dilip Khedkar faced complaints from around 300 small businessmen in 2015, accusing him of causing undue trouble and extortion. In 2018, while serving as Regional Officer in Kolhapur, he was accused by local sawmill and timber merchants of demanding bribes ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 to restore their utilities.

Reports also indicate instances where Dilip Khedkar was absent without permission for extended periods and faced accusations of demanding Rs 20 lakh from a company in 2019. His suspensions in 2018 and 2020 were invoked under various sections of Maharashtra Civil Services Rules and the Maharashtra Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, citing multiple complaints and launching inquiries against him.

The scrutiny into the Khedkars' assets intensified amid investigations involving their daughter Puja, whose appointment as an IAS officer has raised eyebrows. Allegations surfaced that she secured her position claiming reservation benefits as a person with disabilities and as an OBC candidate without undergoing a necessary medical verification of her disability claim.

RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar highlighted discrepancies, noting that Dilip Khedkar's affidavits filed before a Lok Sabha election declared assets worth Rs 40 crore and an annual income of Rs 49 lakh.

"Dilip Khedkar, in his Lok Sabha polls affidavit, showed a conservative estimated wealth of Rs 40 crores and an annual income of Rs 49 lakh. The information is in the public domain," Kumbhar said, according to a PTI report.

This information has fueled further investigation into Puja Khedkar's selection process as an IAS officer, resulting in her training being halted pending further inquiry by the Centre.