Puja Khedkar Used OBC Quota for MBBS Admission: Sources

Pune: As per sources, controversial probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar allegedly misused her caste certificate to secure admission for the 2011-2012 MBBS batch using the Other Backward Class (OBC) non-creamy later quota. Khedkar secured admission at Pune's Kashibai Navale Medical College in 2007 after scoring 146/200 marks in the entrance examination.

Luxury Car Confiscated

Pune Police on Sunday confiscated a luxury car used by Khedkar by allegedly installing a red beacon light on it illegally, an official said. The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Thursday issued a notice to a city-based private company, which is the registered owner of the Audi car that 34-year-old Khedkar used during her posting here.

Jammer Put, Barricades Placed Around Car

Khedkar allegedly used a red beacon light on the Audi car and also got 'Maharashtra Government' written on it without permission. Following the controversy, she was transferred from Pune to Washim district before the completion of her training. "A notice was issued on Thursday against the unauthorised use of a beacon and name sign on the private sedan Khedkar had been using. The car now has been confiscated, its documents will be checked and we are probing the matter further," a senior police official said on Sunday. A jammer was put on the car and barricades were installed around it, he said. As many as 21 challans with total charges of Rs 27,000 were issued in the past against the Audi car, which was registered at the Pune RTO on June 27, 2012, for alleged traffic violations.

Separate Cabin, Staff: Khedkar's Demands

Shivane village in Haveli taluka was mentioned as the address of the registered user, as per officials. Khedkar recently came under the spotlight after kicking up a controversy surrounding her demands such as a separate cabin and staff during her posting in Pune.

Single-Member Committee To Verify Candidature

The Centre on Thursday constituted a single-member committee "to verify the candidature" of the 2023-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre. In a statement, the Centre said the probe would be conducted by an additional secretary-rank officer to verify claims over Khedkar's candidature and other details. She may be terminated from service if found guilty, official sources earlier said.

(with PTI inputs)