‘Innocent Until Proven Guilty’: Trainee IAS Puja Khedkar Defends Her Case Against Media Involving Misuse of Power – WATCH

Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar addressed the controversy surrounding allegations of “misuse of power” against her, emphasizing the importance of due process and condemning the premature judgment through media trials. She asserted, “I will testify before the expert committee, and we will respect its decision. I am not at liberty to disclose details of the ongoing investigation. Whatever submission I have will become public later. Our Indian Constitution upholds the principle ‘Innocent until proven guilty,’ so it is wrong to convict me through a media trial.”

Khedkar, a 2022-batch probationary IAS officer, has been accused of improperly using a personal Audi car with VIP registration and emergency lights marked as ‘Maharashtra Government.’ Additionally, she allegedly submitted fake medical certificates and false disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. The controversy further revealed that she had submitted a non-creamy layer OBC certificate to secure admission to MBBS in 2007. According to Arvind Bhore, Director of Shrimati Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital, Khedkar secured a seat under the reserved Nomadic tribe-3 category by submitting a non-creamy layer OBC certificate.

The central government has formed a one-member committee to investigate these allegations, with additional scrutiny of her conduct during probation by the IAS Academy. Bhore mentioned that Khedkar’s parents’ income reportedly exceeds the OBC non-creamy layer threshold, further complicating her eligibility claims.