IAS Officer Puja Khedkar 'Medically Fit' To Join MBBS Course, Claims Old Medical Certificate

Pune: Controversial IAS Officer Puja Khedkar who's training in Maharashtra was put on hold on Tuesday, her medical certificate from 2007 claims that the IAS officer is ‘medically fit’; this comes amid the controversy surrounding her disability claims.

The medical certificate was submitted by Khedkar when she was applying for an MBBS course.

IAS Officer Puja Khedkar ‘Medically Fit', Claims Old Medical Certificate

Amid allegations of fake disability claims, an old medical certificate of IAS officer Puja Khedkar, which she submitted to Shrimati Kashibai Navale Medical College claims that she was ‘medically fit’.

The medical certificate states, “She has not given any personal history of any disease incapacitating her to undergo the professional course. Also, on clinical examination, it has been found that she is medically fit to undergo the course.”

‘Her Medical Certificate Did Not Mention Any Disability’: Arvind Bhore, Director of Kashibai Navale Medical College

In a statement, the Director of Shrimati Kashibai Navale Medical College and General Hospital, Arvind Bhore confirmed that IAS officer Puja Khedkar submitted a ‘medically fit’ certificate. 

He said, "She took admission in 2007... she got admission through CET (Common Entrance Test), where she gave some certificates of reservation... She submitted the caste certificate, caste validity and non-creamy layer certificate, and also certificate of medical fitness, which did not mention any disability." 

Pune Police To Conduct Enquiry On Authenticity Of Medical Certificates

In another update, Pune Police will conduct an inquiry into the authenticity of medical certificates submitted by probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, accused of misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities category, an official said on Tuesday.

The Office of the Commissioner For Persons With Disabilities has written a letter to the Pune police and the district collectorate to verify the certificates submitted by Khedkar.

A senior police official said, “We have received a letter from the Office of the Commissioner For Persons With Disabilities. They have asked us to check the authenticity of certificates submitted by Puja Khedkar. We will verify the facts about these certificates, from where they were obtained, which doctor or hospitals certified them will also be scanned.”

Dilip Khedkar Defended Daughter Over Fake Disability Claims

The father of controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, accused of using fake disability and OBC certificates to clear the civil services exam, defended her on Sunday, stressing that she hadn't done anything illegal.

About the allegations of misuse of disability certificates, Dilip said the government establishes a benchmark to determine a person's disability, and his daughter meets the criteria.

"Many disabilities are not visible but are identified through medical tests. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she missed some check-ups," he said.

(Inputs from PTI)