Centre sets up panel to probe allegations against Maha probationary IAS officer

Mumbai, July 12 (IANS) The Centre has set up a one-man committee of senior IAS officer and Additional Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Manoj Dwivedi to probe the series of allegations against a Maharashtra cadre probationary IAS officer Dr Puja D. Khedkar, as per an announcement on Friday.Among the allegations Khedkar is facing are tampering with her caste certificate, making demands beyond her entitlements as a probationary officer, encroaching office of a senior government official, etc., that have rocked the establishment in the past few days.Dwivedi will submit his enquiry report within a fortnight.Questioned by the media in Washim where she took charge as Assistant Collector on Thursday, Khedkar, 32, merely said that she would make all her submissions before the government-appointed panel and declined to speak further.After the entire fracas blew up in the media, the Centre set up the one-member panel to verify the claims and contentions of the 2023 batch IAS officer, who was posted at the Pune Collector in March 2023 and transferred to Washim on Thursday.RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar made several startling revelations on the Khedkar family’s alleged wealth despite their OBC non-creamy layer status. Khedkar’s own personal affluence and other details also tumbled out and how she allegedly may have secured her position through the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities quota for “mental illness and visual impairment” without appearing for a mandatory medical examination despite six summons. After verifying all the allegations, claims and counter-claims, her recent bulldozing tactics in Pune and other aspects, severe action may be initiated against her.–IANSqn/vd