Sacked Indian Administrative Service (IAS) trainee officer Puja Khedkar had written a letter to Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary last month accusing Pune collector Suhas Diwase of “insulting” her since her first day of training at the Pune District Collectorate.
Khedkar in her letter dated July 11 clarified her position amid the ongoing controversy over her candidature and levelled allegations against Diwase mentioning that the latter’s complaint and subsequent media coverage had caused her great agony and was left extremely disturbed.
Read More: UPSC Cancels IAS Probationer Puja Khedkar’s Candidature Over Fake Certificates, Bars Her From Future Exams
Diwase had written a letter to Additional Chief Secretary Nitin Gadre complaining about now-sacked IAS trainee’s “entitled behaviour”. Khedkar was transferred to Washim on the grounds of her “arrogant behaviour” following the complaint.
“…Because of this (letter and media coverage) my image has became that of an arrogant officer in the public’s eye. This is causing me mental trauma and I am extremely disturbed. I don’t know the reason, but since the day I joined as probationary officer, the Pune Collector has been subjecting me to insults,” she said in a three-page letter written in Marathi, reported Indian Express .
She also clarified on the allegations of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office. She said that the official had voluntarily offered the ante-chamber to her and had also directed his staff to set it up for her.
“The staff enquired about my needs and arranged the stationery, etc. After District Collector Diwase sir returned to the office a day later, someone informed him about my sitting arrangement in the ante-chamber of the additional collector. Perhaps he was angered by this, he summoned the tehsildar concerned and ordered to remove my furniture from the ante-chamber,” she added in her letter.
What is the Puja Khedkar row?
Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer, who was a probationary assistant collector at the Pune district collectorate, is accused of misusing power and privileges by demanding perks and facilities she was not entitled for, during her training.
Read More: Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar Moves Delhi HC Against UPSC’s Decision Cancelling Her Candidature
She came under the scanner for alleged irregularities in her selection for the civil service. She is being accused of allegedly manipulating her identity to appear for the civil services examination multiple times, exceeding the permissible attempts, according to a statement issued by the Commission.
Last month, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) cancelled Khedkar’s candidature and debarred her from future exams. On August 1, a trial court had denied her anticipatory bail, saying these are serious allegations that “require a thorough investigation”.
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