Puja Khedkar, a 34-year-old IAS trainee officer, faces charges of using fraudulent means to pass the civil services examination, including allegedly misrepresenting himself under the physical disability and OBC categories.
Khedka has come under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in the civil service selection process.
IAS trainee Puja Khedkar was appointed to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie latest by July 23, but he did not report for duty on Tuesday.
Khedekar has been missing since an FIR was filed against her in Delhi. She will appear at the academy in Mussoorie yesterday. But she didn't.
Last week, she was booked for “distortion and falsification of facts” following a “thorough investigation” into allegations of misconduct by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
Pooja Khedkar case:
Khedka has come under scrutiny for alleged irregularities in the civil service selection process. She is accused of allegedly manipulating her identity to sit for civil service examinations more than the allowed number of times, according to a statement released by the commission.
Hedka was also accused of bullying everyone around her and placing a red and blue beacon (indicating a senior official) on the roof of a private Audi (limousine) she was using that also had the words “horse” written on it. Government of Harashtra”.
UPSC notification to Khedkar:
The UPSC has also issued a show-cause notice for disqualification of her candidacy for the 2022 examination and is considering barring her from appearing in future examinations, the statement said.
“The UPSC has lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police alleging Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar of distorting and fabricating facts to get additional attempts beyond the prescribed limit in the UPSC examination. Accordingly, a case has been registered under relevant sections of the law and an investigation has been initiated at the crime branch .
While specific details of the case have not been disclosed, officials said it involves allegations of falsification, deception and abuse of disability quotas to secure her candidacy for the civil service.
The UPSC statement said that Khedekar, who was provisionally recommended to appear for the Civil Service Examination 2022, changed his name, parents' names, photographs, signatures, contact and address in order to appear in the examination beyond the permissible limits.
After news of the case broke out, Khedekar reportedly resigned from her posting in Washim, Maharashtra, where she had been serving during her probation period.
The Center had constituted a one-man inquiry committee on July 11 after a case came to light that Khedkar abused the Disabled and Other Backward Class or OBC (Off-Creamy Class) quota to ensure his eligibility to join the army.
Following the letter issued by the Divyang Welfare Board, the Pune Collector's Office also directed a probe into the allegations of fraudulent disability certificates. The investigation will target doctors and assistants involved in issuing false disability certificates and may lead to charges against those involved.
She qualified in the 2022 Civil Services Examination.
According to UPSC records, Khedkar was ranked 821st in the OBC category as a multiple disabled person in the Civil Services Examination 2022.
Disclaimer:Input via PTI
