Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities category, was found to have 7 per cent locomotor disability, an official claimed on Tuesday (July 16). Dr Rajendra Wable, Dean of YCM Hospital, from where IAS officer Pooja Khedkar acquired her Persons with Benchmark Disabilities, said that she had visited the hospital for examination purposes after following application process online in 2022 and was assessed by “multiple departments”.
“She (IAS officer Pooja Khedkar) applied in the month of August 2022 for disability certification regarding her left limb knee joint. After the due application online, she came here for examination purposes. She was assessed by our multiple departments. In the end, it was found that she has a 7 per cent locomotor disability. This was issued on August 21," Dr Rajendra Wable claimed.
Pune Police to conduct inquiry
The latest claims come as the Pune Police is all set to conduct an inquiry into the authenticity of medical certificates submitted by Puja Khedkar.
Khedkar, the 2023-batch officer currently posted in Washim district, had submitted to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) multiple medical certificates, one of them indicating visual impairment, under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) provision.
The 34-year-old Maharashtra cadre officer faces accusations of using fraudulent means to clear her civil services exam, including allegedly misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities and OBC categories, and misusing power and privileges during her posting in Pune.
The Office of the Commissioner For Persons With Disabilities has written a letter to the Pune police and the district collectorate to verify the certificates submitted by Khedkar.
What did the police say?
A senior police official said, "We have received a letter from the Office of the Commissioner For Persons With Disabilities. They have asked us to check the authenticity of certificates submitted by Puja Khedkar. We will verify the facts about these certificates, from where they were obtained, which doctor or hospitals certified them will also be scanned."
It has also emerged that the controversial junior IAS officer had submitted a fitness certificate while securing admission to a private medical college in 2007.
Centre sets up committee for probe
Last week, the Centre set up a single-member committee "to verify the candidature" of Khedkar and submit a report in two weeks.
The government said the probe would be conducted by an additional secretary-rank officer to verify the candidature claims and other details of the IAS officer. Khedkar on Monday sidestepped questions related to the ongoing probe against her, saying the truth will eventually prevail.
(With PTI inputs)
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