The controversy surrounding trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar has deepened with revelations of alleged discrepancies in her medical certificates and identity. Accused of submitting fake disability and caste certificates to secure her position, Khedkar faces escalating scrutiny and legal action.
Since the scandal emerged, several inconsistencies in Khedkar's medical documentation have surfaced. Of particular concern is her use of two different names—Khedkar Puja Deeliprao and Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar—while applying for disability certificates. This dual identity has further complicated the investigation into her alleged misconduct.
The situation intensified when the Delhi Police registered a case against Khedkar following a complaint from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which oversees the civil services exam. The UPSC's involvement underscores the seriousness of the allegations against Khedkar.
The timeline of events reveals a pattern of questionable actions:
- In 2019, Khedkar obtained a visually impaired certificate from the Ahmednagar district hospital.
- By 2021, she had acquired a combined certificate citing both visual impairment and mental illness from the same hospital.
- In 2022, she applied for a locomotor disability certificate at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in Pimpri, claiming a 7% disability in her left knee due to an old ACL tear.
Further complicating matters, Khedkar used a fake ration card and misrepresented her residential address during these applications. The address provided, purportedly belonging to Thermoverita Engineering Private Limited in Talwade, was revealed to be a commercial property. Subsequently, the municipal corporation sealed the premises due to unpaid taxes, exposing additional irregularities in Khedkar's claims.
Moreover, Khedkar's application for disability benefits at Aundh Civil Hospital was automatically rejected once discrepancies with her YCM Hospital certificate came to light in October 2022. Despite these challenges, she proceeded to utilize her disability status to qualify under the "person with benchmark disability" category for the civil services examination.
The unfolding revelations paint a troubling picture of alleged fraud and misuse of official processes, raising serious questions about integrity and accountability within the civil services recruitment framework.
