IAS officer row: Puja Khedkar's Pune residence partially razed over 'illegal encroachment'

Bulldozer action outside IAS trainee Puja Khedkar's Pune residence.

IAS officer Puja Khedkar's troubles mounted on Wednesday as the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) took decisive action and razed the alleged encroachments outside her family’s bungalow in Baner, Pune.

The alleged encroachments adjacent to her residence were razed by a bulldozer deployed by the PMC.

The Khedkar family had reportedly landscaped their property by extending into the footpath area with trees and plants, which prompted the PMC to issue a notice. When the family failed to respond, the PMC proceeded with a bulldozer operation.

A video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by news agency ANI shows the razed portion.

#WATCH | Maharashtra: Action being taken against illegal encroachment at IAS trainee Pooja Khedkar's Pune residence. pic.twitter.com/xvBQhxxtIO

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— ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2024

Earlier on Tuesday, Khedkar lodged a complaint of harassment against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase at Washim in eastern Maharashtra.

Notably, PMC action comes amid the ongoing row over Khedkar's claims on her disability as well as OBC certificates while clearing the IAS and also for her conduct when she was posted in the Pune collector's office.

According to an ANI report, a inquiry has been initiated by the Pune Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) against the Dilip Khedkar, father of Puja Khedkar, to investigate unaccounted wealth owned by the family.

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday (July 16) put on hold the `district training program' of Puja Khedkar as she was summoned back to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for "necessary action".

A letter by Maharashtra additional chief secretary Nitin Gadre said the Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri academy had decided to put her district training programme on hold, and immediately recalled her.