Puja Khedkar's Father Suspended Twice Over Bribery Allegations During His Tenure as Govt Official

Puja Khedkar, a trainee IAS officer, finds herself amidst a storm of controversies, extending beyond her own career. Recent reports reveal troubling details about her father, Dilip Khedkar, who served in the Maharashtra government. According to sources, Dilip Khedkar faced suspension twice during his tenure, both instances linked to allegations of corruption. In 2018, while stationed at the Kolhapur regional office, Dilip Khedkar allegedly demanded bribes from local businesses to reinstate essential services like electricity and water supply. The accusations, lodged by a sawmill and timber trader, prompted a formal complaint to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Subsequently, he was transferred to the Maharashtra State Small Industries Development Corporation in Mumbai but did not assume the new role.

Further tarnishing his record, Dilip Khedkar faced a second suspension in February 2020 under the Maharashtra Civil Services rules. This incident compounded earlier allegations from March 2019, when Sona Alloys Pvt Ltd accused him of soliciting a bribe and engaging in harassment. Additional complaints surfaced from numerous small entrepreneurs, collectively accusing him of extortion and misconduct.

The culmination of these controversies led to Dilip Khedkar’s mandatory retirement from the position of director at the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board in 2023. Despite his retirement, the specter of allegations continues to shadow his career, which spans multiple locations including Mumbai, Pune, Pune Rural, and Ahmednagar.