Pune cops ask Puja Khedkar to record statement after she claims harassment by district collector

Pune cops ask Puja Khedkar to record statement after she claims harassment by district collector

Police have asked controversial trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar to record her statement regarding allegations of harassment against the Pune district collector, a senior officer said on Wednesday.

Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar confirmed to PTI that Khedkar has been asked to come to Pune to provide her statement.

"I am not aware of any such complaint against me. No one communicated to me about this. So there is no question of giving a reaction. I came to know about this complaint only through media reports," Pune district collector Suhas Diwase told PTI.

Another official said correspondence by Pune Police asking Khedkar to record her statement was served to her at her temporary residence in Washim on Wednesday.

Khedkar is under scrutiny for her claims regarding disability and OBC certificates used to clear the IAS, as well as her conduct during her tenure at the Pune collector's office.

She was transferred to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector from Pune after Diwase submitted a report to senior officials about her behaviour. Allegations against her include demanding facilities she was not entitled to as a trainee IAS official and occupying the ante-chamber of a senior official.

Women police personnel visited Khedkar at her residence in Washim on Monday, where she lodged a complaint of harassment against Diwase, an official said on Tuesday. The complaint has since been forwarded to Pune Police for further action.

Amid the row, the government on Tuesday put on hold the 'district training program' of Khedkar as she was summoned back to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for "necessary action".