Beacon, VIP Car, and Office: IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar’s ‘VIP’ Demands Spark Uproar

Pune: In a shocking turn of events, a trainee IAS officer at the District Collector’s Office has stirred up controversy by allegedly resorting to behavior unbecoming of a probationer. Puja Diliprao Khedkar (32) has reportedly been demanding an official car with a VIP number plate, a red-blue beacon light, and an exclusive chamber with adequate staff to attend to her. Such privileges are not typically afforded to probationary officers.

The drama took an even more scandalous twist when it was revealed that Khedkar’s father, Diliprao Khedkar, a retired administrative officer, has allegedly been exerting pressure on the District Collector’s Office staff, threatening them with dire consequences if his daughter’s demands were not met. The probationary officer has allegedly been using her private car outfitted with a beacon and a VIP number plate, and has commandeered the ante-chamber of additional collector Ajay More, converting it into her personal office.

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For the past three months, this father-daughter duo has allegedly been harassing officers, with their demands and behavior causing widespread disruption. An official, who spoke to Pune Times Mirror on condition of anonymity, remarked, “The father and daughter illegally demanded a cabin and staff, and a car with all its official paraphernalia. However, a trainee officer is not provided with a government vehicle, cabin, and staff until they are appointed as a gazetted officer.”

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This saga of entitlement and overreach has allegedly caused considerable distress among the staff. When additional collector Ajay More was away in Mumbai, Khedkar put up a sign on the door of the ante-chamber claiming it as her own. This encroachment was only reversed upon More’s request.

Efforts to resolve the situation have been futile. Both father and daughter allegedly complained to the resident deputy collector Jyoti Kadam about the lack of staff under Khedkar, threatening to escalate the issue to higher officials in Mumbai. When the complaints increased, district collector Dr. Suhas Diwase finally wrote to the chief secretary Sujata Sainik, highlighting the issue. Unfortunately, all attempts at communication with the concerned parties have remained unfruitful.

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Speaking on the issue, social activist Vijay Kumbhar said, “What are the senior officers doing? Are their hands tied? Are they so helpless that even a probationary officer is not listening to them?” He further commented on the absurdity of Khedkar’s VIP number plate labeled “Maharashtra Government” and her car’s red-blue beacon light, suggesting she should be transferred for training.

Attempts to contact Puja Khedkar and her father for their comments have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the staff at the District Collector’s Office remain in a state of frustration and bewilderment, hoping for a swift resolution to restore order and decorum.

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