IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar: Owns 22 Crore Property, Annual Income of 42 Lakh, Skips Rs 26,000 Fine
Pooja Khedkar, a 34-year-old IAS trainee officer from Pune, Maharashtra, is embroiled in a controversy regarding her UPSC selection. Recent revelations show that she owns assets worth between ₹17 to ₹22 crores.
Before joining in 2023, Pooja declared her immovable property to the government, stating she had purchased two plots in Mahalunge, Pune, in 2015. She bought one plot for ₹42.25 lakh and the other for ₹43.50 lakh. Currently, the market value of both plots is between ₹6 to ₹8 crores.
In 2018, Pooja bought 4.74 hectares of land in the Dhanori area of Pune for ₹20.79 lakh. Its current market value is ₹3 to ₹4 crores. In 2020, she purchased a 724 sq ft flat in Kendevan for ₹44.90 lakh, which is now valued at ₹75 lakh.
Earning ₹42 Lakh Annually from Crores Worth of Property
According to an NDTV report, Pooja also owns three properties in Ahmednagar, two of which were gifted to her by her mother in 2014, valued at approximately ₹1.25 crore. Pooja earns ₹42 lakh annually from these seven properties. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, owns assets worth around ₹40 crores and is a retired Maharashtra government administrative officer. Post-retirement, he entered politics and contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the Ahmednagar seat on a Bahujan Aghadi ticket but lost.
Pending Traffic Fines on Audi Car
Media reports state that Pooja drives an Audi car with a red-blue beacon and a Maharashtra government sticker, which has pending fines of ₹26,000. Since 2022, there are 21 pending fines on the Audi for traffic violations, such as speeding, signal jumping, and refusing to stop for police inquiries. The car is registered under a private engineering company’s name.
Committee Formed to Investigate Pooja Khedkar
On Thursday (July 11), the Centre formed a one-member committee to investigate the candidacy of the controversial IAS trainee officer Pooja Khedkar. She is accused of misusing the disability and OBC reservation quota to secure an IAS position. The investigation, to be conducted by an officer of Additional Secretary rank, aims to verify the claims and other details of her 2023 batch candidacy. The committee will submit its report within two weeks.
Misuse of Red Beacon on Personal Car, Harassment Allegations
On Thursday, Khedkar joined as an assistant collector at the Washim district collector office in the Vidarbha region. She was transferred from Pune, where she allegedly harassed many people and misused the red beacon on her personal Audi car. Instead of the Audi, she arrived at the Washim office in a regular Bolero car.
In response to media queries in Washim, Khedkar expressed happiness about joining the Washim district collector office and stated her desire to work there. Regarding the allegations, she said she was not authorized to comment as per government rules. Meanwhile, Pune police officers arrived at her home to investigate allegations of misusing the red beacon and obtaining a VIP number for her car, only to find the gate locked. Her mother prevented the media from recording videos at the premises.
Why is Pooja Khedkar Controversial?
Khedkar was seen in Deputy Collector Ajay More’s chamber without his consent, where she removed office furniture and instructed the revenue assistant to provide letterhead, nameplate, and other facilities in her name. Following these violations, Pune Collector Suhas Divase wrote to the state chief secretary, leading to her transfer from Pune to Washim. As a probationary civil service officer, Pooja Khedkar had declared herself disabled in an affidavit submitted to the Union Public Service Commission to gain relaxation in the selection process.
An official stated that her father, Dilip Khedkar, declared assets worth ₹40 crores while contesting the recent Lok Sabha elections. However, Pooja Khedkar appeared for the civil service exam under the OBC category, where the ‘creamy layer’ limit is an annual parental income of ₹8 lakh.
