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The investigation into Puja Khedkar's IAS qualification is ongoing. (Image source: News18/Archives)
Questions also surround the veracity of her disability statement, which said she was disabled at just 7 percent, well below the government's 40 percent threshold for eligibility.
IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar finds herself in deeper trouble as new revelations about her conduct and certification surface. Herdeka's troubles escalated when she fraudulently obtained proof of disability. She reportedly submitted a ration card instead of an Aadhaar card as address proof to obtain the certificate, which listed an address related to the defunct company Thermoverita Engineering Private Limited. Her private Audi car is also registered at the same address. Questions also surround the veracity of her disability statement, which said she was disabled at just 7 percent, well below the government's 40 percent threshold for eligibility.
The controversy deepened as Khedkar submitted a ration card instead of the mandatory Aadhaar card and also declared an income of Rs 5 lakh. The National Disability Commissioner intervened in the matter, urging an investigation into the legality of Hedka's disability claim.
Moreover, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has now turned its attention to her father, Dilip Khedkar, amid suspicions that she has acquired large amounts of unaccounted wealth. The development comes after the police earlier issued a notice to Khedekar's mother in connection with a case of allegedly threatening farmers with a pistol. After receiving a complaint against Dilip Khedkar, the Maharashtra ACB forwarded a detailed report to senior officials on Dilip Khedkar's alleged illegal means of amassing properties worth crores of rupees. The development adds another layer to the ongoing scrutiny faced by the Khedkar family.
Puja Khedkar's situation was further complicated when she recently filed a harassment complaint against Pune district magistrate Suhas Diwas at the Washim police station . The incidents prompted the government to postpone her district training program and direct her to return to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administrative Studies pending further action.
The probe into Khedkar's IAS qualification is also ongoing, focusing on her disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificate. Additionally, her conduct during her tenure at the Pune Collector's Office is under review.
The unfolding saga highlights growing concerns about the authenticity of Khedeka's qualifications and actions, casting a shadow over her career prospects in the civil service.
