Inquiry into IAS Officer Puja Khedkar’s Medical Certificates

The Pune police will conduct an inquiry into the authenticity of medical certificates submitted by probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar. She is accused of misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities category.

An official stated that Khedkar, the 2023-batch officer currently posted in Washim district, had submitted multiple medical certificates to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), one of which indicated visual impairment under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) provision. The 34-year-old Maharashtra cadre officer faces accusations of using fraudulent means to clear her civil services exam.

This includes allegedly misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities and OBC categories and misusing power and privileges during her posting in Pune. 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 stated, “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, including where they were obtained, and we will also investigate which doctor or hospital certified them.” It has also emerged that the controversial junior IAS officer had submitted a fitness certificate while securing admission to a private medical college in 2007.

Last week, the Centre set up a single-member committee “to verify the candidature” of Khedkar and submit a report in two weeks.

Please take note of the following text: The government announced that an additional secretary-level officer will conduct an investigation to verify the claims and other details of the IAS officer’s candidature. Khedkar declined to answer questions about the ongoing probe against her on Monday, stating that the truth will ultimately come to light. In a separate criminal case, the Pune police have been searching for the parents of the IAS officer.

An FIR has been filed against the couple and five others after a video surfaced showing Puja Khedkar’s mother, Manorama Khedkar, who is a village sarpanch, allegedly threatening some individuals with a gun over a land dispute. The Pune police confiscated a luxury car used by Puja Khedkar on Sunday, alleging that she had illegally installed a red beacon light on it.