New Allegations Against Puja Khedkar: Accused of Pressuring Navi Mumbai Police for Release of Suspect
Navi Mumbai, 12th July 2024: The controversy surrounding trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar has intensified with new allegations emerging. Reports suggest that Khedkar allegedly pressured Navi Mumbai’s Deputy Police Commissioner Vivek Pansare to release a thief who had been detained by the Panvel police. The thief, identified as a transporter, was arrested for theft after the police discovered discrepancies in the weight of steel shipments.
State government officials indicate that Ishwar Arjun Uttarwade, a supplier of steel for a local builder, was detained after the transporter reported a stock loss. Although the truck driver admitted to carrying the steel, he was unable to provide details about the business owner. Uttarwade was arrested when it was found that the weighing scale had been tampered with before the steel was loaded. On May 18, Khedkar reportedly contacted Pansare, requesting Uttarwade’s release, arguing that the charges were minor and that he was innocent.
A Navi Mumbai police officer noted, “Although Khedkar identified herself, Pansare was uncertain if it was indeed her or someone impersonating her. She was reportedly abrasive in her speech. Her call was not acted upon, and Uttarwade remains in judicial custody,” as reported by Hindustan Times.
Khedkar was recently transferred from Pune to Washim by the Maharashtra government following complaints about alleged misuse of authority. She has taken up the position of supernumerary assistant collector in Washim, as indicated in an official order following a letter from Pune Collector Dr. Suhas Diwase to the Chief Secretary. She joined her new office after a four-day delay on Thursday.
The transfer decision followed controversy surrounding Khedkar’s alleged attempts to obtain unauthorized privileges, such as using a private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light, a VIP number plate, and a ‘Maharashtra government’ sign on her vehicle. Furthermore, Khedkar reportedly made several demands contrary to the protocol for probation officers, including an official car with a VIP number plate, official accommodation, an office with staff, and a constable.
Despite regulations specifying that trainees are not entitled to such amenities and must be appointed as gazetted officers first, Khedkar’s actions extended beyond these guidelines. Allegedly, her retired administrative officer father also pressured the District Collector’s office to fulfil his daughter’s demands and warned of potential consequences.
Dr. Khedkar, who ranked 841 in the UPSC exam, now faces a transfer and reassignment to Washim as she continues her probationary period in her new role.
