Pune police to act against IAS probationer Pooja Khedkar for using red beacon on private car

Pooja Khedkar

Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar said the police will initiate a probe against probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar for the alleged use of blue and red beacon light and installing 'Maharashtra government" insignia on a private car.

The on-probation civil services officer is under scrutiny after allegedly lying - about visual and mental disabilities and her OBC background - to secure a range of perks not allowed for junior staffers, exchanged multiple WhatsApp messages with the Pune Collector's office before her posting and demanded confirmation of her "seating arrangement and vehicle".

The charges against the 2023-batch IAS officer her include flaunting her status, connections and wealth and moving in her personal high-end Audi A4 on which she had unauthorisedly installed a red-blue flashing beacon light, a ‘Maharashtra Government’ sticker and got a VIP registration number allegedly with the help of an outside contractor.

She was also found using Additional Collector Ajay More's office while he was away. She reportedly removed office furniture and even demanded letterheads.

She was transferred to Washim after Pune Collector Suhas Divase complained to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary. "The 2023 batch IAS officer will serve the remaining period of her probation as Supernumerary Assistant Collector in Washim district," the order stated.