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Maharashtra

IAS Puja Khedkar Row: Beleaguered Trainee Officer Missing For Last 5 Days, Fails To Report At Mussoorie Training Academy On July 23

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IAS Puja Khedkar Used OBC Quota To Get Admission In MBBS; ‘She Didn’t Submit Disability Certificate’, Claims College Director

Controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, accused of using fake disability and caste certificates to secure her selection, reportedly failed to report to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie by the scheduled deadline on Tuesday.

Following the controversy surrounding her selection, Khedkar was recalled to the academy, and her training program was suspended. She was instructed to report by July 23 to the LBSNAA, which is a training institution for civil servants.

On July 16, Maharashtra Additional Chief Secretary Nitin Gadre notified Puja Khedkar that her training period with the government had been terminated. Khedkar who remains missing since 5 days, neither reported to the academy nor responded to the letter.

DoPT Letter Recalling Puja Khedkar To Academy

“It has been decided that district training of Puja Khedkar, IAS 2023 batch, be kept on hold, and she be immediately recalled to the Academy for further necessary action. The state government is requested to relieve the probationer immediately and advise her to join the academy at the earliest, not later than July 23 under any circumstances,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) stated in a letter to the Maharashtra government.

Khedkar, a 2023-batch trainee IAS officer, faces allegations of misusing the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons With Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quotas for her selection.

Delhi Police Books Khedkar Over False Information Submission

Additionally, the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch has booked her for allegedly submitting false information to the UPSC to avail more attempts at the civil service exams than she was eligible for.

In response, the Centre has formed a single-member committee to scrutinize all documents submitted by Khedkar.

Khedkar Under Radar Since A Month

Khedkar came under scrutiny earlier this month after being transferred from Pune to Washim district following complaints of misconduct. These included the unauthorized use of a private car with a beacon light during her probation period and her demands for a separate office, an official vehicle, and staff — privileges she is not entitled to as a probationer.

The ongoing investigation and allegations against Khedkar raise serious concerns about the integrity of the selection process and the misuse of quotas intended to benefit genuinely disadvantaged individuals.

Maharashtra

The post of Joint Police Commissioner for Intelligence is under consideration… Decision to assign a senior officer the responsibility of gathering information in connection with the Pahalgam attack

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Mumbai: State Government first introduced the post of Special Commissioner in Mumbai city and now there is a national possibility of creating the post of Joint Police Commissioner Intelligence. This decision has been taken by the government after the Pahalgam terror attack, so that intelligence can be collected proactively. After the Pahalgam terror attack, a new post of Joint Police Commissioner will be created in Mumbai to monitor the miscreants and terrorist modules and sleeper cells, so that he can monitor the intelligence and keep an eye on the sleeper cells. Weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack and to keep an eye on the ‘sleeper cells’ of terrorist groups, the Maharashtra government has decided to create the post of a sixth Joint Commissioner for Mumbai, who will be in charge of intelligence in addition to the five posts that already exist.

The decision was taken amid the need to be at the forefront of intelligence gathering, especially in the wake of the recent Indo-Pak tensions. A senior source confirmed that the government has decided to create a new post of Joint Commissioner Intelligence in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and the history of such attacks in Mumbai. The sixth Joint Commissioner will primarily collect intelligence, and is likely to be by upgrading the post of Additional Commissioner (Special Branch) that currently exists. After the post of Special Commissioner in Mumbai, the government has now upgraded the post of Special Branch officer to the level of Joint Police Commissioner. Earlier, the head of SB-1 used to be the in-charge of intelligence, but now this post is likely to be upgraded to Joint Police Commissioner, which will now have six Joint Commissioners in Mumbai instead of five.

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Maharashtra

Strongly condemning Minister of State Vijay Shah’s derogatory statement against Colonel Sofia Qureshi, demanding apology and action, Muslim women protest in Mumbai

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Mumbai: Muslim women have also staged a protest against BJP Minister of State Vijay Shah in Mumbai after Indian Army Lieutenant Colonel Sofia Qureshi made an insulting and derogatory remark. Prominent women social workers from Madanpura area of ​​Mumbai’s Byculla, who run a popular NGO like Rais Area Level Federation, along with the women’s wing of Samajwadi Party South Mumbai district, staged a strong protest against BJP Minister Vijay Shah.
The protesters, while addressing the protest, said,
We, as conscious citizens, express our deep sorrow and anger over the condemnable and false statement made by Madhya Pradesh Minister Vijay Shah in which he called Colonel Sofia Qureshi the ‘sister of a terrorist’.
The women protesters paid tribute to the services of Colonel Sofia Qureshi, saying:
Colonel Sofia Qureshi is a patriotic and respected Indian Army officer who made history in 2016 by becoming the first Indian woman to lead an international military exercise. Her services, patriotism and sacrifice are a source of pride for our country.
They further said that

This statement by Minister Vijay Shah is not only an insult to a dutiful woman officer but also a blatant insult to the Indian Army, the Constitution and our secular values.

The women made the following demands:

An immediate and unconditional apology should be sought from Vijay Shah.

Strict disciplinary action should be taken by the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and the BJP leadership.

A resolution should be passed in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly to acknowledge the dignity of military officers and condemn communal statements.

The protesters also demanded that the Governor of Madhya Pradesh and, if elections are near, the Election Commission take serious note of this objectionable statement.

They said

Colonel Sofia Qureshi is a symbol of India’s inclusive and democratic strength. Her being a Muslim and being a patriot is not only possible together but is a practical proof of our constitutional ideology. We express complete solidarity with her and stand with every individual who serves the country by donning the military uniform. — No matter what their religion, caste or gender.
During the protest, women have also enthusiastically raised slogans in which we are with Sofia Qureshi… Shame on Vijay Shah, shame on you. Respect and honor our army.

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Maharashtra

Relocation of Mumbai Deonar Dumping Ground is a relief for residents, BMC’s decision is welcomed, Govindi residents should have access to basic facilities including a hospital: Rais Shaikh

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Mumbai: The Mumbai BMC has decided to shift the Deonar dumping ground, which will bring relief to the residents of Deonar and Shivaji Nagar, and is also a welcome move for the people of Govind. After the BMC invited bids for a major legacy waste bio-remediation project at the Deonar dumping ground, Samajwadi Party legislator and former BMC group leader Rais Shaikh welcomed the move, saying it is the first step towards fulfilling the long-standing demand of Govind residents.

A former Govind corporator, Shaikh said that the residents had faced hardship for decades due to the presence of the dumping ground and now they should get essential social infrastructure like hospitals and schools on the part of the land that will be reclaimed after the removal of legacy waste.

MLA Rais Shaikh said that this was a fundamental, long-standing demand of the residents of Govandi for decades and it is a welcome step for them. Scientific closure of the dumping ground should be ensured, and the civic body should maintain transparency in the entire process. He added that the civic body should take all stakeholders into confidence during the process of removing the legacy waste. Shaikh said, “It should be ensured that the residents of Gowandi face minimum inconvenience during the transportation of waste, as thousands of trucks will pass through the area daily.” Highlighting that Gowandi is a hotspot for tuberculosis (TB), cancer and other respiratory diseases, MLA Rais Shaikh said, “Gowandi, often called the TB and malnutrition capital of the city, is consistently ranking well below average on all socio-economic development indicators. Therefore, social infrastructure in hospitals and schools should not be damaged. After removing the legacy waste, the land reclaimed for them should be prepared,” demanded MLA Rais Shaikh.

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