New Delhi Sept 7, 2024 (Yes Punjab News)
The Centre has officially dismissed Puja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect as of Saturday. This decision follows the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) canceling her selection for government service a month earlier.
Khedkar was found guilty of falsifying her identity to wrongly obtain benefits under the OBC and disability quotas. As a result, the UPSC not only canceled her selection but also imposed a lifetime ban on her from taking the UPSC entrance exams, citing her repeated attempts to use false information.
In a recent status report submitted to the Delhi High Court, Delhi Police revealed that Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer from the Maharashtra cadre, had submitted two different disability certificates for her UPSC exams. These certificates, dated 2018 and 2021, claimed she had “multiple disabilities” and were allegedly issued by the Ahmednagar District Civil Hospital for her UPSC attempts in 2022 and 2023.
However, according to the Delhi Police report, hospital authorities denied issuing these certificates to Khedkar, raising further concerns about the authenticity of her claims.
Khedkar’s troubles began in June when Pune Collector Suhas Diwase alerted Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik about Khedkar’s demands for perks such as a car, staff, and an office—benefits she was not entitled to during her two-year probation period. This raised red flags and led to closer scrutiny of her selection process.
It was subsequently discovered that Khedkar had utilized relaxed criteria intended for OBC candidates and persons with disabilities. Further investigation revealed that her father, a former Maharashtra government officer, owned assets worth approximately ₹40 crore, which disqualified her from the non-creamy layer OBC quota.
Adding to the controversy, a video surfaced showing her mother, Manorama Khedkar, who is a sarpanch, threatening farmers with a gun. This incident led to Manorama’s arrest.
