Shortly after speculations regarding whether the parents of the controversial probationary IAS officer, Ms. Puja Khedkar, were actually ‘separated’ or it was a meticulously crafted ploy to avail Officer Khedkar of the benefits of OBC Non-creamy layer reservation, the Pune Police confirmed that Mr. Dilip Khedkar (father) and Mrs. Manorama Khedkar (mother) were “legally separated.” It is pertinent to mention that Mrs. Manorama is currently in police custody for allegedly threatening a farmer with a gun in 2023 over a land dispute. Her father, a retired government officer, has managed to evade apprehension from police with an anticipatory bail by a court in Pune.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) issued a show-cause notice regarding the cancellation of her candidature for the 2022 examination and is considering barring her from future exams. The body has also registered an FIR against Officer Khedkar.
Ms. Puja Khedkar, a 2022 batch IAS officer under training, became a subject of intense discourse over the internet and national television after allegations arose that she had lied about her mental and visual condition, through “fraudulently” obtained certificates from the District Civil Hospital in Ahmednagar, to secure an officer’s post despite an unremarkable score in the ultra-competitive qualifying exam. Khedkar was “diagnosed” with Locomotor Disability and a 7% permanent disability concerning her left lower limb. She also obtained a second certificate, which covered both low vision and mental illness (depression).
The conundrum was fueled when it was learned that Khedkar, while going through the selection process for an IAS post, had refused to undergo a mandatory medical test to confirm her disabilities six times in a row! It is pertinent to mention that she secured an All India Rank of 821 under the Physical Disability (PWD-5) category in the 2022 UPSC exams. The Union government established a one-member committee to verify Khedkar’s candidature and instructed it to submit a report within two weeks.
The Union Public Service Commission initiated multiple actions against Khedkar, including filing an FIR with the police and issuing a Show Cause Notice to cancel her candidature for the Civil Services Examination 2022 and to bar her from future examinations and selections.
The entire fiasco unfurled after she made demands for a separate cabin and staff during her Pune posting. She demanded a red-blue beacon light, a VIP number plate, along with a ‘Maharashtra government’ board affixed to her private Audi car and other shenanigans while being posted as the Super Numerary Assistant Collector in Pune.
