Puja Khedkar, the controversial trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, is expected to record her statement with Pune Police today, July 20, concerning her harassment complaint against Pune Collector Suhas Diwase. This follows her failure to respond to the initial summons.

“We have issued a second summons to her seeking her presence to record her statement. She has indicated that she will be coming here. We shall wait,” said Amitesh Kumar, Commissioner of Police, Pune. Khedkar was initially summoned on July 18 but didn’t appear. Consequently, a fresh summons was issued in Washim. The police will evaluate the situation and decide on further action if she fails to appear today as well.

The Khedkar Saga:

Puja Khedkar is currently under intense scrutiny for alleged misconduct aimed at securing the prestigious IAS officer post. During her IAS training, she was posted under Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase, who filed a formal complaint against her for demanding facilities typically not provided to trainee officers. What began as a dispute over the use of a beacon on her private vehicle escalated into a full-scale investigation. It was discovered that Khedkar allegedly misused the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Physically Handicapped (PH) quotas to secure her IAS position and gain admission to a medical course.

Khedkar’s training as a probationary IAS officer has been officially paused. The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), the premier government institute that trains IAS officers, has instructed her to report to Mussoorie by July 23 for further “necessary action.”

Family Under Scrutiny:

The investigation expanded to Khedkar’s family after her mother, Manorama Khedkar, was seen brandishing a gun in multiple online videos. As the situation intensified, her parents went into hiding. After a few days of searching, Manorama was arrested from a guesthouse near Raigad Fort.

Puja Khedkar has claimed that a “media trial” is being conducted against her and insists that the “truth will come out” once the single-member committee formed by the Centre submits its investigative report.

The developments in this case are being closely watched, as the outcome could have significant implications for both Khedkar’s career and the broader administrative services.

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