Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has files a forgery case against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar.
New Delhi: Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar made her first appearance after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced on Friday that it had registered a First Information Report (FIR) against her for allegedly “faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond permissible limit.” Speaking to reporters outside a government rest house in Washim, the trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer said, “The judiciary will take its course. Whatever is there, I will reply to that…”
UPSC files forgery case against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar
According to the press release issued by the UPSC, the Commission has also issued a show cause notice regarding the cancellation of her candidature for the 2022 examination and is considering barring her from future exams. From this investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father’s and mother’s name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address, the Commission said in a press release.
Furthermore, the Commission has categorically stated that in fulfilling it’s constitutional obligations, the UPSC stringently adheres to its constitutional mandate, and conducts all its processes, including all examinations, with the highest possible order of due diligence without any compromise.
#WATCH | Washim, Maharashtra: On UPSC filing FIR against her, Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar says, “The judiciary will take its course. Whatever is there, I will reply to that…” pic.twitter.com/MlJHx5OcR9
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024
UPSC files Complaint With Delhi Police Against Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar
The UPSC filed a complaint with the Delhi Police. “UPSC has filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar for misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain extra attempts in the UPSC examinations, beyond the prescribed limit. Consequently, a case has been registered under the relevant sections of the law, and investigation has been taken up in Crime Branch,” Delhi Police said in a statement, PTI reported.
Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar Controversy: All You Need to Know About Here
Puja Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer who achieved an All India rank of 821 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, has become a focal point of media controversy. She faces several allegations, including claims that she demanded a separate cabin and staff during her Pune posting, faced an unexpected transfer to Washim district, and used a private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and VIP number plate. Moreover, she allegedly occupied the ante-chamber of Additional Collector Ajay More without permission, removed office furniture without consent, and requested unauthorised facilities.
She was accused of bullying everyone around and of placing a red-blue beacon (indicating high-ranking official) atop a private Audi (a luxury sedan) car used by her that also had ‘Maharashtra Government’ written on it during her stint. She was declared qualified in the civil services examination 2022. Based on the results declared last year by the UPSC, Khedkar was allocated the IAS and her home state Maharashtra as a cadre.
After Khedkar’s case related to misuse of disability and Other Backward Class or OBC (non-creamy layer) quotas to secure her candidature in the service came to fore, the Centre on July 11 formed a single-member probe committee. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 has a provision to reserve at least four per cent of total seats in government recruitment/department. Candidates with benchmark disabilities (including multiple disabilities) besides those under OBC (non-creamy layer) get benefits like age-relaxation and earmarking of vacancies to be filled by them only in the civil services exam conducted by the UPSC.
Earlier on July 16, the officer was relieved from the District Training Programme of the State Government of Maharashtra. She was even recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie and her training has been put on hold. As per the ANI report, the letter from the Additional Chief Secretary, Nitin Gadre, read, “LBSNAA Mussoorie has decided to keep your district training programme on hold and immediately recall you for further necessary action.”
The Union Public Service Commission conducts Civil Services Examinations( Preliminary, Main, and Interview/Personality Test) for recruitment to the Services and Posts such as Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Corporate Law Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Defence Estates Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Information Service, Group ‘A’, Indian Postal Service, Group ‘A’, Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service, Group ‘A’ and others.