What Did Puja Khedkar Reveal In Her Letter? Claims Of 'Insults' And Mistreatment

Puja Khedkar, a former IAS trainee officer, finds herself at the centre of a major controversy after her Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) candidature was recently cancelled.

In a letter dated July 11 to the Additional Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, Khedkar sought to clarify her position, accusing Pune Collector Suhas Diwase of mistreating her since her first day of training at the Pune District Collectorate, as reported by Hindustan Times.

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What Did Puja Khedkar Reveal In Her Letter?

According to a report by The Indian Express, Khedkar stated that Diwase's complaints about her "entitled behaviour" and the subsequent media coverage had significantly damaged her public image. She expressed that this portrayal as an "arrogant officer" has caused her severe mental distress. "Since the day I joined as a probationary officer, the Pune Collector has been subjecting me to insults," Khedkar wrote in the three-page letter, originally penned in Marathi.

The controversy began when Khedkar was accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune Collector's office after being permitted to use his ante-chamber as her office. Khedkar clarified that Additional Collector Ajay More had voluntarily offered the ante-chamber to her and had instructed his staff to set it up accordingly, as reported by Hindustan Times.

However, when District Collector Diwase returned to the office and learned of her seating arrangement, he ordered the furniture to be removed, allegedly without giving Khedkar a chance to explain. Khedkar claimed that she attempted to speak with Diwase and even apologized, agreeing to abide by any decision he made regarding her seating arrangement. However, Diwase reportedly dismissed her attempts to explain, labelling her allegations as "nonsensical."

The situation escalated as further allegations against Khedkar surfaced. She was accused of using her private Audi car, equipped with a red-blue beacon light and a VIP number plate, and of demanding separate facilities such as a cabin, car, residential quarters, and a peon before even officially starting her duties on June 3, as per media reports.

Despite these demands being denied, it was alleged that Khedkar's father, a retired administrative officer, pressured the district collector's office to fulfil them. More seriously, Khedkar was accused of misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022, including allegedly cheating and wrongly availing of OBC and disability quota benefits.

Amid the growing controversy, Khedkar moved the Delhi High Court on July 8, challenging a district court's decision to deny her anticipatory bail. The case is set to be heard on Monday, August 12. On July 31, the UPSC took decisive action by cancelling Khedkar's selection and permanently barring her from all future exams and selections. The case has sparked widespread discussion and highlighted the intense scrutiny faced by civil servants in India.