Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar is under scrutiny for allegedly falsifying claims about her mental and visual impairments to qualify for Civil Services and for allegedly misusing her position. Sources reveal that Khedkar attempted to obtain a third disability certificate from Aundh Hospital in Pune in August 2022, aiming to falsely prove she had a locomotor disability. However, her request was denied after various tests, with doctors stating it was not possible to issue such a certificate.
Locomotor disability refers to significant restrictions in limb movement due to conditions affecting the bones, joints, or muscles, including cerebral palsy. Prior to this, Khedkar had submitted two other medical certificates indicating visual impairment and mental illness to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category. These certificates, issued by the Ahmednagar District Civil Hospital, were granted by different committees in 2018 and 2021.
Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, faced criticism after reports surfaced suggesting she lied about her conditions to secure her IAS post. She missed six medical tests in 2022 intended to verify her disability but later submitted an MRI report from an external medical center. This report was accepted in 2023 after an eight-month delay.
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Recently, Khedkar attracted intense media attention for allegedly seeking special privileges from the Pune Collector’s office beyond her official entitlement. Additionally, she used her private Audi car equipped with a red-blue beacon light, a VIP number plate, and a ‘Maharashtra government’ board, further sparking controversy.
The Centre has appointed a single-member committee to re-examine the documents Khedkar submitted for her civil services examination and subsequent IAS selection.
