The Maharashtra government announced on Tuesday that it has put controversial Indian Administrative Services (IAS) probationer Puja Khedkar’s district training on hold. The Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) recalled Khedkar for “further necessary action,” according to a letter from Maharashtra additional chief secretary Nitin Gadre.
Khedkar, a Maharashtra cadre officer, is under investigation for allegedly using fraudulent means to clear her UPSC Civil Services Examination, including misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities and OBC categories and misusing power and privileges during her posting in Pune.
The Pune Police will investigate the authenticity of medical certificates submitted by Khedkar. A senior police official stated, “We have received a letter from the Office of the Commissioner For Persons With Disabilities, requesting us to verify the certificates submitted by Puja Khedkar. We will investigate their origins and the doctors or hospitals that certified them.”
Last week, the Centre established a single-member panel to verify Khedkar’s candidature, with a report due in two weeks. On Monday, Khedkar, facing intense scrutiny, stated that “truth will prevail” in the probe against her. She accused the media of conducting a trial against her, saying, “My job here (in Washim) as a probationer is to work and learn. The government committee will decide the outcome, not the media or the public.”
