Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who have been under investigation for allegedly falsifying mental and visual disabilities to qualify for the Civil Services, sought police intervention at her home in Washim, Maharashtra. Sources indicated that a police team arrived late at her residence.
Khedkar, initially posted as an Assistant Collector in Pune, was reassigned to Washim as a Supernumerary Assistant Collector after allegations of lying to secure an OBC certificate surfaced.
Three female officers arrived at Khedkar’s home at 11 pm, leaving at 1 am. The details of their discussion remain undisclosed, but sources suggest Khedkar had requested the meeting to share information on unspecified matters.
Although Khedkar, a 23-year-old probationary IAS officer, does not face a police case for the alleged falsification of disabilities, Pune Police have indicated plans to address her pending traffic fines, amounting to ₹27,000.
A government-appointed one-member panel is investigating Khedkar, who faces potential dismissal if found guilty. Her parents are also entangled in legal issues. Her mother, Manorama Khedkar, a village sarpanch, is involved in an Arms Act case, while her father, Dilip Khedkar, a retired State officer, is a co-accused.
Despite previously declining to comment due to “government rules”, Khedkar criticised the media for presuming her guilt. “Our Indian Constitution is based on the fact innocent until proven guilty. So, media trial proving me guilty is actually wrong. It is the basic right of everyone. You can say it is alleged but proving me guilty like this is wrong,” she stated.
Khedkar, a 2023-batch officer from Ahmednagar, attracted negative attention last week over reports of lying about her mental and visual conditions to secure her position, despite a low exam score. She allegedly submitted fraudulent certificates from Ahmednagar’s District Civil Hospital.
It was revealed that Khedkar attempted twice to obtain medical disability certificates, succeeding at a hospital in Pipri after being denied by Aundh Hospital in Pune. The Pipri hospital diagnosed her with an “old ACL tear with left knee instability” and classified her as having a “permanent disability in relation to her left lower limb”.
Khedkar’s situation is compounded by her family’s controversies. Her father defended her, claiming she had done nothing illegal and belonged to the non-creamy layer of OBCs, making her eligible for reservation benefits, despite allegations of securing benefits with an annual family income exceeding ₹8 lakh.
