After being transferred from the Pune collectorate amid allegations of power misuse, probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar reported for duty at the Washim collector’s office on Thursday to continue her training as an assistant collector.
Khedkar, surrounded by media, spoke briefly about her new role but avoided questions about the controversies involving her or her father, a former government employee accused of pressuring Pune officials to grant her special privileges.
“As per service rules, I am not authorized to speak to the media on this,” she stated.
Khedkar will stay in a guesthouse until a government quarter is allotted to her in two to three weeks, an official said. Unlike in Pune, she will not have a private cabin or car, which were among the alleged demands that led to her transfer.
Washim District Collector Bhuvaneswari S mentioned that there is a specific schedule for assigning probationers to various departments. This week, Khedkar will be gaining experience in the Public Works Department (PWD) and irrigation department. Next week, she will move to the tribal department.
