The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) said on July 19 that it has registered a criminal case against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar for allegedly forging identity papers, misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain extra attempts in the Civil Services Examination-2022, beyond the prescribed limit.
The Commission issued a show-cause notice cancelling her candidature from the 2022 examination process. UPSC stated that it conducted “a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of CSE-2022.”
“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 & mother’s name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address,” UPSC said in a statement.
It has come to light that she attempted the examination 12 times after fraudulently obtaining Other Backward Classes (OBC) certificate and a Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) certificate citing visual impairment and mental illness.
Ms. Khedkar told media persons in Maharashtra’s Washim that the “judiciary will take its course.”
In 2022, Ms. Khedkar had moved an application in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) seeking relaxation of the upper age limit for PwBD candidates in the civil services examination. In its order in 2023, CAT stated that the candidate had successfully cleared the examinations but repeatedly skipped six medical examinations to prove her disability before a medical board at AIIMS, adding that “her candidature is liable to be cancelled.”
Despite the ruling, she was inducted in the services and sent on field training till June this year when she came under the scanner for abuse of power and privileges during her posting at Pune. On July 16, she was “immediately recalled” to the Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration with her current training in Maharashtra’s Washim district put on hold.
UPSC said that a series of actions have been initiated against her which include criminal prosecution by filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the Police Authorities and a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature of CSE-2022, debarment from future examinations and selections, in accordance with the Rules of CSE-2022.
Delhi Police said: “A case has been registered under the relevant sections of the law and investigation has been taken up in Crime Branch.” A case has been registered for forgery, cheating under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and sections of the Informational Technology Act and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
UPSC further stated, “It is categorically stated that in fulfilling its 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. The UPSC has ensured the sanctity and integrity of all its examination processes with the utmost fairness and strict observance of Rules. UPSC has deservedly earned the trust and credibility of a very high order from the public, especially the candidates. The Commission is unequivocally committed to ensure that such high order of trust and credibility remains intact and uncompromised,” the statement added.
