Dilip Khedkar, father of trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, has come forward to defend his daughter amidst allegations of misusing the disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) quota to secure her position in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). In an interview with India Today TV, Khedkar questioned the focus on his daughter’s request for a separate office and other facilities. He asked, “Is a woman asking for a space to sit wrong?”
Puja Khedkar, a 34-year-old officer currently on probation and posted in her home cadre Maharashtra, has faced scrutiny for allegedly demanding a separate office, an official car, and unauthorized use of a red beacon light on a private Audi car.
Dilip Khedkar stated, “All I can say is that someone is deliberately trying to make it an issue.” He emphasized that the matter is currently under investigation by a committee appointed to examine the case. He urged everyone to await the final verdict, saying, “The matter is subjudice and a committee has been appointed to look into it. Let us all wait for the final verdict.”
The Centre has formed a single-member committee to re-examine the documents submitted by Puja Khedkar to secure her candidature for the civil services examination and subsequent selection.
When asked about whether Puja had applied under the creamy layer or non-creamy layer category for the OBC quota, Dilip Khedkar declined to comment due to ongoing legal proceedings. He maintained that all procedures were followed correctly and there was no wrongdoing. “We will present our case to the committee,” he stated.
He further highlighted the rigorous rules of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination, emphasizing the involvement of a medical board comprising 20-25 people at a hospital, making fraudulent document submissions highly improbable.
Earlier on Thursday, the Pune civic body issued a notice to Manorama Khedkar, mother of Puja Khedkar, directing the removal of “unauthorized structures” adjacent to their bungalow’s boundary wall within seven days.
