The Pune City Traffic Police issued a notice to IAS probationer Dr. Pooja Khedkar for the unauthorized use of a beacon and Maharashtra government sign on her privately owned Audi. Registered under a private engineering company, the car has 21 unpaid challans totaling ₹27,000 in compounding charges.
Khedkar was transferred from Pune to Washim earlier this week due to complaints regarding her conduct during her probation at the Pune district collectorate. The state government’s transfer orders followed reports of her alleged demands for a separate office, an official car, and the unauthorized use of a beacon and insignia on her private vehicle.
On Thursday, a team from the Traffic Control Branch of Pune City Police visited the family residence of Pooja Khedkar in Baner to take action regarding the Audi car using the unauthorized beacon and insignia. Despite two attempts, the Khedkars did not respond. Police and journalists, who were at the residence reportedly, rang the doorbell repeatedly, banged on the gate, and called for the guard but got no response.
“Our team went to Khedkar’s house in Baner but the main gate of the bungalow was found to be closed. No one responded to our team’s directions to open it. Subsequently, a notice was issued to Khedkar,” stated a officer from Chatushrungi traffic division.
A notice duly signed by Senior Inspector S S Pathan to Khedkar’s stated, “It is being informed to you through this notice that a beacon and Maharashtra government sign have been found to be used on the privately owned Audi car. Based on this an action has been taken against the vehicle as per Section 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act.”