Pune: There is growing speculation that Puja Khedkar, a controversial IAS officer, may have been involved in a dubious claim regarding her parents' divorce.
The central government has asked the state government to provide a detailed report to confirm whether the divorce of Khedkar’s parents Dilip and Manorama actually occurred. This request raises the possibility that Khedkar's situation might face further complications.
Puja Khedkar had submitted a non-creamy layer certificate to the Union Public Service Commission while taking her exam, which is a prerequisite for certain positions.
She was subsequently selected as an IAS officer and is currently undergoing her training in Maharashtra. Recently, it has emerged that Khedkar’s family income is reportedly in the range of several crores, raising questions about the legitimacy of the non-creamy layer certificate, which requires a specific income threshold.
Concerns have been raised about how Khedkar’s father, who was a Class I officer, reported a low income. It was revealed that Khedkar’s family had claimed a divorce to meet the non-creamy layer certificate’s income criteria.
The central government now seeks to verify whether Puja Khedkar's parents, Manorama and Dilip Khedkar, were indeed divorced, whether they lived together after the alleged divorce, or if the divorce was a mere formality to secure her IAS position.
The Maharashtra government has requested a report from the State Crime Investigation Department (CID) to clarify these issues. However, since the Pune Police are already investigating the case, the correspondence has been directed to them.
Pune Police are expected to submit a detailed report on the Khedkar couple’s divorce status. This development indicates that the investigation into whether the divorce actually took place is now in progress.
