Puja Khedkar fraud case: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) today (July 19) initiated a series of actions against IAS trainee Puja Khedkar, including registration of a police case against her for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking identity.
The Commission also issued a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature of the civil services examination-2022 and debarment from future examinations/selections. Khedkar, a 2023 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, was accused of misusing power and privileges during her training in Pune recently.
"The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022," the commission in an official statement said.
It said that its investigation has revealed that Khedkar fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the examination rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father's and mother's name, her photograph/signature, her email ID, mobile number, and address.
The UPSC has, therefore, initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal prosecution by filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the police authorities and has issued "a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022," it said.
FIR filed against Puja Khedkar
UPSC has, initiated a series of actions against her, including Criminal Prosecution by filing an FIR with the Police Authorities and has issued a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/ debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022.
UPSC issued a show cause notice to probationary officer Puja Khedkar seeking her debarment from future examinations and selections.
Puja Khedkar's district training program on hold
Amid the row, the government had earlier put on hold the district training program of Puja Khedkar, who was earlier transferred to Washim as a supernumerary assistant collector from Pune, as she was summoned back to the Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration for "necessary action".
The Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau unit has received a complaint seeking an open inquiry against Puja Khedkar's father Dilip Khedkar, a retired government official, in connection with alleged disproportionate assets, a senior official said on Wednesday. There is already an inquiry underway by the ACB's Nashik division against him into the alleged disproportionate assets.
Hence, the Pune unit of the anti-graft agency has sought directions from the ACB headquarters to either incorporate the fresh complaint into the ongoing probe or whether to conduct a separate open inquiry, the official said.
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Pune initiated an inquiry against the father of Puja Khedkar, Dilip Khedkar, to investigate the unaccounted wealth owned by the family.
Earlier, the Pune Police had decided to take action against the Audi car that was used by the officer, who was transferred from Pune to Washim in Maharashtra for misusing her authority. The IAS officer has been accused of allegedly abusing her authority.
Meanwhile, a local court in Pune district, Maharashtra, remanded Manorama Khedkar, the mother of Puja Khedkar, to police custody until July 20. She was arrested on Thursday for allegedly threatening a person with a gun over a land dispute in June last year. After the arrest, Manorama Khedkar was produced before the Judicial Magistrate Court in Pune with a request for seven days of police custody.
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