Trainee IAS Summoned By Pune Cops Over Harassment Claims Against Collector

New Delhi: 

Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, caught in a raging controversy for allegedly lying about her OBC status and disabilities in her UPSC candidature, has been asked to appear before the Pune cops tomorrow.

A notice has been sent to Ms Khedkar, asking her to record her statement in connection with her harassment complaint against Pune Collector Suhas Divase, sources in the police told NDTV.

Cops from Washim came to serve her the notice.

Last evening, Ms Khedkar accused Ms Divase of harassment. “I am not aware of any such complaint against me. No one communicated to me about this. So there is no question of giving a reaction. I came to know about this complaint only through media reports,” Mr Diwase told news agency PTI.

The on-probation officer is being probed by the Centre for allegedly lying about her mental and visual disabilities and her OBC status to clear the Civil Services entrance exam. She is also accused of abusing her power for a range of incentives and perks that junior officers are not entitled to.

Amid an escalating row, 23-year-old Ms Khedkar was transferred to Washim by Mr Divase after the allegations surfaced. She was recalled from her post here yesterday afternoon and directed to return to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Uttarakhand.

Last week, the Centre set up a single-memb