Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is in the eye of a storm over alleged misuse of power and claims that she made in her UPSC candidature, has landed in more trouble with the central government launching a probe against her.

Ms Khedkar had courted controversy over using a siren on her private Audi and raising demands for a separate house and car – privileges not available to junior officers. But the 2023-batch IAS officer now faces far more serious charges that raise questions about her selection process in the civil services.

Manoj Dwivedi, additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), has started the investigation against her, which will be completed in two weeks.

She may be dismissed if she’s found guilty, sources said.

She may also face criminal action if the allegations of hiding facts and misrepresentation are found to be true, they added.

When confronted by the media, she has remained tight-lipped on the charges against her, maintaining she was “not authorised” to speak about the matter.

Ms Khedkar, who was posted as an assistant collector in Pune, was transferred to Washim after the Pune Collector raised a complaint with the Chief Secretary of the state government.

The action came after she was found using a siren and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her private luxury sedan. She was also found using the Pune Additional Collector Ajay More’s office while he was away. She reportedly removed office furniture and even demanded letterheads and a VIP number plate. These perks are not available for junior officers – who are on probation for 24 months.

Reports suggest that her father – a retired administrative officer – had even pushed for her demands to be fulfilled.

Questions have also arisen over her claim of Other Backward Classes (OBC) status. She had also claimed several disabilities to avail concessions in the UPSC selection process, but refused to undergo mandatory medical tests to confirm those.

A new controversy has also erupted after an old video showing her mother threatening a group of men with a gun in her hand surfaced online.

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On Friday, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi defended his political rival Smriti Irani against derogatory slurs from his supporters and other detractors on social media. Smriti Irani, who had defeated Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha election in Amethi, lost the seat to Gandhi loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma in the 2024 general elections. The defeat in Amethi was a significant setback for Smriti Irani. In the last ten years, she had been a crucial part of the Modi government, holding several key ministries.