The selection of Puja Khedkar as a trainee IAS officer has been cancelled and she has been barred for taking the entrance exam for life after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) found her guilty of faking her identity to take the exam multiple times. 

The UPSC has said in a statement that Ms Khedkar has been found guilty of violating rules of Civil Services Examination. “A Show Cause Notice (SCN) was issued by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022 (CSE-2022) on 18th July, 2024 for fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit provided for in the Examination Rules by faking her identity,” it said.

It added that the 34-year-old was told to submit her response to the notice by July 25, but she requested for time till August 4. The UPSC granted her time till July 30 and made it clear that it was the “final opportunity” and “no further extension in time” would be allowed.

She was also told that if no response is received by the deadline, UPSC would take action. “Despite extension in time allowed to her, she failed to submit her explanation within the prescribed time,” the panel has said in the statement.

“The UPSC has examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules. Her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been cancelled and she has also been debarred permanently from all the future Examinations/Selections of the UPSC,” it said.

The panel has said that in the wake of the Puja Khedkar episode, it had examined data of more than 15,000 candidates who cleared the IAS screening process between 2009 and 2023. “After this detailed exercise, barring the case of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, no other candidate has been found to have availed more number of attempts than permitted under the CSE Rules,” it said.

“In the lone case of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the UPSC could not detect her number of attempts primarily due to the fact that she changed not only her name but also her parents’ name. The UPSC is in the process of further strengthening the SOP to ensure that such a case does not recur in the future,” the statement added.

The UPSC clarified that it carries out “only a preliminary scrutiny of the certificates” of candidates. “Generally, the certificate is taken as genuine, if it has been issued by the competent authority. The UPSC neither has the mandate nor the wherewithal to check the veracity of thousands of certificates submitted by the candidates every year. However, it is understood that scrutiny and verification of genuineness of certificates is carried out by the authorities mandate with the task,” it added.

The Undoing Of Puja Khedkar

Puja Khedkar’s troubles began in June when Pune Collector Suhas Diwase wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, flagging the trainee IAS officer’s demands for perks such as a car, staff and an office that she was not entitled to during her two-year probation. Thereafter, Ms Khedkar was transferred to Washim.

Amid the row, her selection for IAS came under the spotlight. It was found that she had availed relaxed criteria for OBC candidates and persons with disabilities. It then came to light that her father, a former Maharashtra government officer, had property to the tune of 40 crores and she did not qualify for the OBC non-creamy layer tag. It also emerged that she had not appeared for a mandatory health check-up at a government facility to confirm her exemption for disability.

Amid the row, a video of her sarpanch mother brandishing a gun to threaten people emerged. Manorama Khedkar was later arrested. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, is now being investigated in a case of owning assets disproportionate to his income.

New Delhi:

The training of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar has been put on hold amid allegations of misuse of power and privileges. Ms Khedkar has been recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie for “further necessary action”. Ms Khedkar was earlier transferred to Washim from Pune following accusations of manipulating disability and OBC certificates to gain entry into the civil services.

The General Administration Department of the Maharashtra government issued a directive stating, “You are hereby relieved from the District Training Programme of the State Government of Maharashtra.” The directive instructs Ms Khedkar to “join the academy at the earliest” but not later than July 23.

Ms Khedkar, a 2023-batch officer from Ahmednagar, claims to be the victim of a “media trial” alleging that a misinformation campaign has been waged against her.

The authenticity of various certificates submitted by Ms Khedkar to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is currently under investigation. These include certificates indicating visual impairment, which Ms Khedkar submitted under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category.

Despite being referred by the UPSC for a medical examination at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Ms Khedkar reportedly missed six appointments between April and August 2022. In August 2022, she applied for another disability certificate from the Aundh government hospital in Pune, but her application was rejected following medical tests.

Ms Khedkar’s troubles began when she was accused of demanding unauthorised perks and facilities while serving as an assistant collector in Pune. Allegations include using a red beacon and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her private Audi car, occupying the office of Pune Additional Collector Ajay More during his absence, and demanding office furniture, letterheads, a VIP number plate, a separate house, and a car. These perks are typically unavailable to probationary officers who are still in their 24-month probationary period.

Following these allegations, Ms Khedkar was transferred from Pune to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector. This move was seen as a temporary measure pending further investigation.

An RTI activist from Pune, Vijay Kumbhar, alleged that Ms Khedkar’s father possessed assets worth Rs 40 crore, which would place the family well above the Rs 8 lakh annual income threshold for any reservation benefits.

Ms Khedkar has stated her willingness to testify before the expert committee, expressing confidence that the truth will emerge. “Whatever my submission is, I will give it in front of the committee and the truth will come out,” she said.

The Pune Police are also investigating Ms Khedkar’s parents in a criminal case involving her mother, Manorama Khedkar, a village sarpanch, who was allegedly seen threatening individuals with a gun over a land dispute in a video. An FIR has been filed against the couple and five others in connection with this incident.

Ms Khedkar has lodged a harassment complaint against Pune district collector Suhas Diwase. According to an official, women police personnel visited Ms Khedkar at her residence in Washim, where she filed the complaint.
 

Mumbai:

Puja Khedkar – the on-probation IAS officer under scrutiny after allegedly lying about mental and visual disabilities, and her OBC background – to qualify for the Civil Service, now faces a fresh charge.

Navi Mumbai Police submitted a report to the Maharashtra Home Department stating Ms Khedkar pressured the cops into releasing a family member accused of theft, news agency PTI said.

It is believed Ms Khedkar, on May 18, called a Deputy Commissioner of Police and demanded that he release a man suspected of transporting stolen steel. She insisted the man – identified in some reports as Ishwar Uttarwade – was innocent and that the charges against him were “minor”.

Ms Khedkar named herself in the call with the top cop. However, in the report he said he was unsure if the caller was an imposter or who she claimed to be, i.e., a government official.

Either way, the police did not release Uttarwade, who remains in custody.

Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch officer, had been posted as an Assistant Collector to Pune district.

She was to begin her duties, as a trainee or junior officer, in June.

READ | “Get It Done Before I Join…”: IAS Officer Puja Khedkar’s Chats

However, details have emerged this week of how she may have deceived authorities about medical conditions and her OBC status, as well as prodding her way into perks not meant for new officers.

These included a siren, or beacon, and a ‘Government of Maharashtra’ sticker for her private vehicle, a luxury Audi sedan. On the question of the red beacon, Pune Police said they will take action.

It has also emerged that Ms Khedkar’s Audi, registered to a private company, has 21 pending traffic violation notices. The cops have issued a notice seeking a penalty payment of Rs 27,000.

She was also found using Additional Collector Ajay More’s office while he was away. She reportedly removed office furniture and even demanded letterheads.

Faced with multiple instances of possible abuse of power, the Pune Collector’s office has transferred Ms Khedkar to Washim, where she will be a Supernumerary Assistant Collector. She has refused to comment on the row or her transfer, saying “government rules” forbid her from making statements.

Ms Khedkar now also faces a probe by the central government.

READ | Centre Starts Probe. Puja Khedkar, IAS Trainee, To Be Fired If Guilty

Sources told NDTV she will be sacked if found guilty of lying and may also face criminal charges.

NDTV Explains | Who is Puja Khedkar, What Is the Controversy?

The investigation will be conducted by Manoj Dwivedi, the Additional Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training, and a report is to be submitted within two weeks, sources added.

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Washim (Maharashtra):

IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, who has been at the centre of controversy following multiple allegations against her, has refused to comment on the Centre setting up a panel to probe her candidature.

Ms Khedkar, who was transferred to Washim from Pune following the allegations, said was not authorised to speak on this matter.

“I am not authorised to speak anything on this matter. I am not permitted to speak on this matter as per government rule,” she said.

On Thursday, the central government constituted a single-member committee to verify the candidature claims and other details of Ms Khedkar following a controversy over her alleged misuse of power as a civil servant.

The Ministry of Personnel announced in a statement, emphasising that the committee is chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary under the Central Government and that it will submit its report in two weeks.

“The Central Government has constituted a single-member committee, chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary to the Government of India, to verify the candidature claims and other details of IAS Puja Manorma Dilip Khedkar, a candidate of Civil Services Examination 2022 and earlier CSEs. The Committee will submit its report in 2 weeks,” reads the Ministry of Personnel statement.

The Pune Municipal Corporation is also likely to take action against illegal encroachment on the footpath outside Puja Khedekar’s family bungalow and others nearby, with Buldozers seen on standby near the bungalow.

Ms Khedkar, a 2023 batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre who secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 841 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam, sparked controversy recently when she used her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and VIP number plate. She also demanded facilities that are not available to probationary officers in the IAS.

According to a report submitted by Pune collector Suhas Diwse to the General Administration Department, Ms Khedkar repeatedly demanded that she be provided with a separate cabin, car, residential quarters, and a peon even before joining the duty as a trainee on June 3. However, she was denied the claims.

The IAS trainee was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office.

Ms Khedkar allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports claimed that she had also submitted a mental illness certificate.

In April 2022, she was asked to report at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate, but she did not do so, citing Covid infection.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)