Trainee IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar Transferred for Misuse of Beacon and VIP Plate, Allegedly Submitted Fake Certificates

Pooja Khedkar, a 2022 batch IAS officer from Maharashtra cadre, became embroiled in controversy when accusations surfaced that she had submitted fraudulent disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to qualify for the civil services exam.

The claim came a day after the probationary IAS officer, who used her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and VIP number plate, was transferred from Pune to Washim following complaints of misuse of power.

Now, reports have emerged that Khedkar demanded a separate house and a car before taking on her role as the assistant collector to the Pune District Collector.

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Controversies Surrounding IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar

Pooja Khedkar, a controversial IAS officer from the 2022 batch of the Maharashtra cadre, has come under scrutiny for allegedly using fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to qualify for the civil services exam. Despite being asked to verify her disability certificate at AIIMS Delhi in April 2022, she did not attend, citing a Covid infection. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, a former state government official, declared assets worth Rs 40 crore while contesting the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Khedkar, who comes from a family with a strong administrative background—her maternal grandfather was also an IAS officer—reportedly applied under the OBC category, where eligibility is restricted by an annual parental income limit of Rs 8 lakh due to creamy layer criteria. After joining as a probationary officer in Pune, she allegedly made controversial demands such as a VIP number plate for her Audi car and installed a red beacon on the vehicle.

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