Many names, age disparities, more: How trouble mounts for trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar

The controversy around trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar refuses to die down.

The 34-year-old 2023 Maharashtra cadre officer is under the radar due to a discrepancy in her age on official documents.

The development comes days after it was found that Khedkar submitted fake Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the UPSC civil service exam.

She is also embroiled in controversy over alleged misuse of power during her posting in Pune.

More troubles for Khedkar

According to a report by India Today, information submitted for the Common Admission Test (CAT) in 2020 and the UPSC civil service exam in 2023 indicate an age difference of only one year despite a three-year-long gap in filling both applications.

Additionally, she applied under slightly different names in both cases – 2023 under Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar and 2020 under Khedkar Puja Deeliprao.

This is important since UPSC applicants in the general category can take the exam up to six times before turning 32. The OBC category allows applicants to run nine times before turning 35, the report said.

‘Medically fit’

Khedkar is currently being investigated for allegedly making false representations about herself to pass the civil service test under the PwBD and OBC categories.

The medical certificates that Khedkar produced, one of which claimed visual impairment under the PwBD provision, are presently being examined by Pune Police for credibility.

Amid these allegations, a doctor’s certificate submitted for admission to a Pune medical college in 2007 has surfaced, which declared her “medically fit” with no apparent disability.

“There was no mention of any disability, whether physical or mental, in the medical fitness certificate submitted by Puja Khedkar,” the medical college’s director told PTI.

According to a report by The Times of India, Khedkar sought disability certificates for locomotor disability at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri, Pune, and District Civil Hospital in Aundh at the same time in August 2022.

This was despite the fact that the Ahmednagar District Hospital had granted disability certificates for low vision in 2018 and for mental depression and low vision in 2021.

Her application was turned down by the Aundh hospital for “double submission,” but the Pimpri hospital approved it with a seven per cent locomotor disability certificate based on a previous ACL tear.

Khedkar had been employed by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) since 2021 as an assistant director and was an officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) by 2022. She was chosen for the IRS under the PwBD (low vision) and OBC categories.

But when she retook the UPSC test that year, she passed and was qualified for IAS under OBC and PwBD (multiple disabilities/categories).

Looks like, aside from the OBC quota with a  non-creamy layer certificate , the three separate impairment certifications have contributed to her selection for the IAS under the MD quota.

‘Misuse of power’

Khedkar is also accused of abusing her position and requesting special treatment while in Pune — a treatment not often extended to probationary officers.

This came especially after she put up a red and blue beacon on her private Audi car. She also customised her personally owned luxury car with a VIP number plate and “Maharashtra government” signage.

A single-person panel has been established by the Centre to look into Khedkar’s candidature. The Committee has been assigned a two-week period to submit its report.

Her parents are embroiled in separate legal disputes.

Khedkar’s district training has been put on hold, the Maharashtra government said on Tuesday.

‘Media trial’

Khedkar, who had previously refrained from speaking on the subject because of “government rules,” recently criticised what she called a “media trial” surrounding her conduct.

She maintains her innocence, stating that the truth will be revealed and that a government committee will decide how to proceed with her case.

“I will testify before the committee. I think whether the decision the committee will take should be acceptable to all… Neither I nor you (media) or the public can decide,” she said.

Her remarks coincided with separate searches for her parents by Pune Police related to a criminal case.

Khedkar called the Washim police on Monday, a group of three female officers paid her a late-night visit and stayed for around two hours, according to Moneycontrol.

Speaking about the conversation with the police, the trainee IAS officer said, “I had called the women police officials to my residence yesterday. They did not come here on their own. A committee has been sent up (to verify), let its report come out.”

With inputs from agencies