Puja Khedkar's disability certificate has factory address, her Audi seized by police registered on same address

Chandigarh, July 17

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The Pune Police said they would probe the veracity of medical certificates of probationary IAS officer 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.

Meanwhile, questions are now being raised on a disability certificate issued to her by a Pune hospital.

This is among the several disability certificates that have emerged over the last couple of weeks after her selection into civil service came under the scanner.

She had submitted two certificates issued by the Ahmednagar District Civil Hospital in 2018 and 2021 to the UPSC. She had also applied for a disability certificate from Aundh government hospital in Pune in 2022, but the application was rejected after medical tests.

The disability certificate issued by Pune’s Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital is dated August 24, 2022. It mentioned Khedkar’s address as “Plot No 53, Dehu Alandi Road, Talawade, Pimpri Chinchwad” in Pune district.

No house was found at this location, but a factory named Thermoverta Engineering Company.

However, her luxury car—confiscated by police for allegedly installing a red beacon light on it illegally –is registered in the name of this company.

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.

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.

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