Centre Axes Puja Khedkar From IAS Role With Immediate Effect

Centre discharges Puja Khedkar from IAS weeks after UPSC cancelled selection.

The Central government has discharges Puja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) weeks after UPSC cancelled selection, reported PTI citing official sources. The IAS trainee has been accused of frudulently clearing the civil services examinations.

The Indian Express cited an official order dated September 6 , that said, “the Central Government discharges Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, IAS Probationer (MH:2023), from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect.”

In a status report submitted on September 4, Delhi Police revealed that during further investigation, scrutiny of documents provided by the UPSC showed that Puja Khedkar had submitted two disability certificates, allegedly issued by the Medical Authority in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, claiming multiple disabilities.

The disability certificates were submitted by applicant Puja Khedkar during the Civil Services Examinations in 2022 and 2023. Upon verification, the Medical Authority in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, reported:  
"Disability Certificate (Multiple Disability) vide No. MH2610119900342407 has not been issued by the Issuing Medical Authority, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra as per our Civil Surgeon Office Records, hence the possibility of the certificate being forged and fabricated is more likely," reported ANI.

This is a developing story.