Authorities on Tuesday told Pooja Khedekar that the IAS training had been put on hold because of the false certificate, and she should resubmit to LBSNAA at once in Mussoorie.
Khedekar was also expelled from the district training programme of Maharashtra government.
“LBSNAA, Musoorie has decided to suspend your district training program and recall you immediately for further necessary action…” Additional Chief Secretary (P) Nitin Gadre wrote in the letter.
Puja Khedkar is embroiled in a controversy over alleged manipulation of reservations for disabled persons and OBCs and misuse of official position.
She is also reported to have submitted fake certificates for disability and OBC along with other backward class (OBC) category documents to pass civil services examination. There are reports that she even produced a mental illness certificate.
In April 2022, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi asked her to verify her disability certificate but she declined citing Covid-19 infection.
It is said that despite being qualified as an IAS under “Person with Benchmark Disability (PwBD)” Category, Khedkar frequently missed all mandatory medical examinations meant to ascertain her level of disability.
This followed the establishment by federal government of a single-member committee, which will investigate claims and details regarding Khedekar’s candidature better known as the Central Government Constitutes One-Member Committee To Look Into Claims And Details Regarding Candidature Of Khedekar.
On July 13th, Ministry of Personnel announced that they would receive report from this committee chaired by senior officer at Deputy Secretary level within two weeks time period.
Government sources said Dwivedi would be investigating how Khedkar got hold of these documents proving her disability and OBC status from Transport Ministry Additional Secretary Manoj Dwivedi-led team over next fortnight whether proper vetting was done by issuing agency.
It will also consult experts from the Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi to determine whether the alleged visual and mental disabilities meet the requirements for government employment.
Oddly, there are two names
In another case involving Puja Khedkar, it is stated that she has two different names – Khedka Puja Deeliprao and Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar.
During Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2019, IAS cadet named herself as Khedkar Puja Deeliprao; similarly SAI appointment was done under this name with category Benchmark Persons with Disabilities (PwBD) (LV)-OBC.
However, she appeared as an IAS in UPSC service allotment 2022 but her name is given as Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar belonging to PwBD-Multiple Disabilities (MD).
The February 23, 2023 order of Mumbai Central Administrative Tribunal mentioned her applicant’s name as Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar. In August 2022, IAS trainee officer applied for movement disorder certificate as per Nisha Nambiar and Swati Shinde Gole from Aundh District Civil Hospital and Pimpri Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital simultaneously.
Despite having obtained low vision disability certificates in Ahmed Nagar District Hospital in 2018 and another certificate for mental depression and low vision disability in 2021 year’s reports indicate that she submitted these documents too.
While Aundh District Civil Hospital rebuffed this because of “double submission”, Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) Pimpri issued a motor disability certificate of up to seven percent on account of old ACL tear.
