Proving my guilt through media trial is wrong.

“The media trial that proves me wrong is wrong,” said Pooja Khedkar, the Indian Civil Service trainee officer who is facing widespread controversy over allegations of abuse of power and privileges. The 34-year-old is accused of using fraudulent means to clear the civil service exam, including falsely presenting herself under physical disabilities and non-creamy OBC caste.

“Our Indian Constitution is based on the principle of innocence until proven guilty. So the media trial that proves my guilt is actually wrong. It is a fundamental right for everyone. You can say this is an allegation but proving my guilt in this way is wrong,” she said.

Ms. Khedkar said she would testify before the expert committee and “accept the committee’s decision.” She added: “Whatever my point of view is, I will present it before the committee and the truth will come out.”

Questions were raised about Ms Khedkar’s appointment to the civil services after a Pune-based Right to Information activist, Vijay Kumbhar, alleged that she did not fall under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, as her father had assets worth Rs 40 crore.

“As per the rules, only those who fall under other precarious class category and whose parents’ income is less than Rs 8 lakh per annum are considered, but their income is shown to be Rs 40 crore. Her parents had contested the recent Lok Sabha elections and all the property details are in the affidavit.”

She is also facing scrutiny for allegedly abusing her authority and submitting fake disability and caste certificates to qualify for the civil services examination.

The Pune city collector, where 2023 batch IAS officer Khedkar was posted as an assistant collector, has filed a complaint with the Maharashtra government’s chief secretary. She was allegedly found using a red beacon and a ‘Government of Maharashtra’ sticker on her private Audi. She also used the office of Pune Additional Collector Ajay More in his absence. She reportedly removed the office furniture, besides demanding official papers and a VIP number plate. She also demanded a separate house and car – privileges not available to junior officers who are on 24-month probation.

It was later transferred to Washim area.

“My job here as an intern is to work and learn and that’s what I’m doing. I can’t comment on that (investigation). When the committee’s decision comes, it will be public and open to scrutiny. But at the moment I have no right to tell you about the ongoing investigation,” she told reporters.

Amid the ongoing controversy, it has now emerged that the junior Indian Civil Service officer had submitted a non-creamy OBC certificate to secure admission into the MBBS programme in 2007.

Arvind Puri, principal of Shrimati Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital, said that Ms. Khedkar secured a seat in the MBBS course at the college through the entrance test of the Association of Management of Unaided Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Maharashtra (AMUPDMC) and secured 146 marks out of 200. She joined the first batch of the college in 2007. She secured the seat through the nomadic tribe category 3 offering non-cream OBC certificate, he alleged.

This was not the only time Ms. Khedkar had tried to get such a medical certificate. In August 2022, she again applied for a disability certificate from the city of Pune, but the doctors who examined her said, “It is not possible.”

When asked about these medical certificates, she said: “A committee of experts has been formed to investigate these technical matters, and I will submit my response to the committee, and let the experts decide, and whatever the case is, it will appear before public opinion.”

A case has also been filed against Pooja Khedkar’s parents, Manorama Khedkar and Dilip Khedkar, for allegedly threatening the farmers with a gun.