After receiving complaints about suspected power abuse, the Maharashtra government moved Dr. Pooja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer, from Pune to Washim. She has been appointed Assistant Collector of Washim.
Following a letter to the Chief Secretary from Pune Collector Dr. Suhas Diwase, this action was taken.
Khedkar courted a controversy after seeking special privileges from the Collector's Office that were not allowed for a probation officer.
There were rumblings in the administration when she also used her private Audi with the VIP number plate and a red-blue beacon light. She also had a Maharashtra government board put on her personal vehicle.
Along with unfair demands, Khedkar also demanded accommodations: a constable, an official chamber staffed by enough people, and an official car with a VIP number plate.
Regulations stipulate that a trainee must be appointed as a gazetted officer before being granted access to the aforementioned amenities.
Khedkar, though, didn't stop there. She also occupied the ante-chamber of additional collector Ajay More when he was away and put up a board with her name.
Khedkar, who secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 821 in UPSCeven, removed all the materials, including chairs, sofas, and tables, without the prior consent of the additional collector.
Subsequently, she directed the revenue assistant to provide her with a letterhead visiting card, paperweight nameplate, royal seal, and intercom.
Reportedly, Khedkar's father, a retired administrative officer, threatened the officers with consequences and put pressure on the District Collectors Office to comply with his daughter's demands.