Trainee IAS Officer Under Fire for Alleged Fake Disability, OBC Certificate

Pune: Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar who has made headlines following her transfer from Pune to Washim, had allegedly claimed to have visual impairment and mental illness in the affidavit submitted to the Union Public Service Commission.

The controversy has also brought to light revelations about her application for the civil services exam. There is also scrutiny surrounding the Disability and OBC Creamy Layer certificates she had submitted. 

As per documents submitted to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Khedkar had appeared for the UPSC exam under the OBC and visually impaired categories. She also submitted a mental illness certificate to the UPSC to obtain her IAS posting.

It was alleged that after her selection, Khedkar was summoned by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate. However, she opted out of attending the medical examination at AIIMS, citing a COVID-19 infection in April 2022.

Despite being summoned for the test on five subsequent occasions, she consistently declined, citing various reasons. It was later alleged that she submitted a fake disability verification report from a local private hospital and subsequently assumed duties as a probationary officer in Pune. The UPSC raised objections to her submitted certificate in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), yet she reportedly received her joining orders under mysterious circumstances, allegedly using political influence.

After assuming her role as a probationary officer, Khedkar reportedly made several requests, including obtaining a VIP number plate for her private Audi car. Additionally, she placed a red beacon and a "Maharashtra Government" board on her private Audi car to highlight her status as an IAS officer.

Following this, Khedkar was transferred from Pune to Washim following allegations of misusing her authority as a civil servant. She achieved an All India Rank of 821 in the UPSC exams and was serving as an assistant collector in Pune before her transfer as supernumerary assistant collector.

She was also found using the ante-chamber of additional collector Ajay More in his absence. She had even removed and rearranged office furniture without More's permission and requested the revenue assistant to provide her with a letterhead, nameplate, and other amenities under their name. As per reports, she even pressurised officials by requesting an official car with a VIP number plate and an office space with sufficient staff.

The Maharashtra government’s decision to transfer her comes a fortnight after Pune district collector Suhas Diwase wrote to the outgoing Maharashtra chief secretary Nitin Kareer, complaining about the probationary officer’s misconduct.

“When I spoke to her, what I realised is that she has a lot of expectations from the administration, just because she is an IAS officer. She is demanding all these things, along with respect, as she feels it is her right. I personally spoke to her and tried to explain to her that she will get all of this once she completes her probation and does her duties diligently. But this is of no use and her behaviour does not suit the administration,” Diwase had written.

In a letter dated June 24, Diwase stated that Khedkar not only made extravagant demands but also alleged that her father, Dilip Khedkar, a retired IAS officer, intimidated district staff by accusing them of mistreating his daughter and cautioning them about potential consequences.