IAS Officer Under Investigation for Alleged Misuse of Power

The Central government has constituted a committee to investigate the claims and details of Puja Manorma Dilip Khedkar, an IAS officer in Maharashtra, following allegations of power misuse. The committee, led by an Additional Secretary, will submit its report in two weeks.

The Central Government announced on Thursday the formation of a single-member committee to scrutinize the candidature claims of Puja Manorma Dilip Khedkar, an IAS probationary officer recently posted to Washim, Maharashtra, following a controversy over her alleged misuse of power. Khedkar had been transferred from Pune on Tuesday amidst these allegations.

In a statement, the Ministry of Personnel emphasized that the committee is chaired by a senior officer of Additional Secretary rank and will deliver its report in two weeks. Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer, secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 841 in the Civil Services Examination-2022. She came under scrutiny for using a private Audi car with a beacon light and demanding facilities not entitled to probationary officers.

The Pune collector's report revealed that Khedkar demanded a separate cabin, car, residential quarters, and a peon prior to officially joining her post on June 3. She was also accused of removing a senior official’s nameplate and potentially submitting fake disability and OBC certificates. In April 2022, she failed to appear at AIIMS, Delhi, for disability verification, citing a Covid infection.