Puja Khedkar had pressured Navi Mumbai police to release steel thief
After allegations of brash behaviour and misusing benefits to get into IAS, Navi Mumbai police send reports of her past wrongs to Mantralaya
MUMBAI/ PUNE: Days after IAS probationer Puja Khedkar courted controversy for her high-handedness and entitled behaviour, displayed in her demands of an ante-chamber in the Pune district collectorate, where she was known to drive in her Audi fitted with a red-blue beacon and a Maharashtra government board, followed by allegations that she had allegedly misused benefits under the physical disabilities category and other backward class (OBC) quota to secure a position in the Indian Administrative Services, more acts of indiscipline have surfaced.
On Thursday, the Navi Mumbai police sent a report against Khedkar, who was shunted from Pune to Washim by Pune collector Suhas Divase recently, to chief secretary Sujata Saunik, who also holds additional charge of the home department, stating that Khedkar had allegedly pressured a deputy police commissioner of Navi Mumbai Vivek Pansare to release a transporter who was arrested in a case of steel theft by Panvel police, in May.
According to sources in the state government, one Ishwar Arjun Uttarwade, who ran a transport business and was known to carry steel for a builder, was arrested after the latter reported loss of stock. When cops arrested the driver of the truck, he confessed carrying the consignment but could not reveal much about the owner of the company. It was alter revealed that a chip in the weighing scale was tampered with before the steel was loaded, which led to Uttarwade’s arrest. Thereafter, Khedkar called Pansare on May 18 asking for his release, saying he was innocent, and “the charges against him were small”.
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“Although Khedkar had identified herself, Pansare was not sure if it was indeed her or an impersonator. He said Khedkar was rough in her speech. We didn’t take cognisance of her call, and Uttarwade is still in judicial custody,” said a source of Navi Mumbai police.
After Khedkar’s recent offences surfaced from Pune, Navi Mumbai police communicated to the Pune collectorate and bosses in Mantralaya about Khedkar’s behaviour. On Wednesday, Saunik asked police for a report. Pansare sent a two-page report through Navi Mumbai commissioner of police Milind Bharambe to the home department, on Thursday.
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When HT asked Saunik about issue, she said, “A report on Khedkar’s conduct has been sent to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) as she still a probationer.” Saunik also spoke to the director of LBSNAA, Sriram Taranikanti, on Thursday when she was informed about Khedkar’s brash behaviour at the academy. Saunik reportedly told the director if Khedkar’s records at the academy were not clean, she should not have been sent to Maharashtra, as it has brought disrepute to the IAS fraternity and the state government.
When HT reached out to Taranikanti, he reserved comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, after a delay of four days, Khedkar joined the Washim collectorate on Thursday. She will work in the PWD and irrigation department this week and tribal development department next week. When asked about her first day at work in Washim, Khedkar said, “I am happy to join the Washim District Collectorate and looking forward to work.”
(With inputs from Nadeem Inamdar)