The central govt has terminated the controversial officer Puja Khedkar with immediate effect. This big move from the government came a month after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) cancelled the selection as a trainee officer. UPSC also barred her for a lifetime from attempting the entrance exam.
Puja Khedkar misused quota
Khedkar was found guilty of misusing the OBC and the disability quota for her selection. She marked herself as a non-creamy layer candidate coming from the OBC to get benefits and relaxation whereas her father Deelip Kondiba Khedkar contested in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024 from the Ahmednagar constituency of Maharashtra and he from nowhere seems to belong to middle-class. His election affidavit boasts of his possessions and assets worth Rs. 40 crore.
The UPSC also found her guilty of faking her identity to attend the exams multiple times.
Trainee officer faked disability
Along with misinforming the UPSC about her background, she also faked disability to get relaxation. In her affidavit submitted to the commission, Puja Khedkar mentioned herself mentally ill and visually impaired. After availing the relaxation, she managed to get an all-India rank of 841.
Self-invited trouble
Notably, after her selection, when she was required to undergo a medical examination to submit a certificate, Khedkar chose to skip it six times giving one or the other reasons. She came into the limelight and controversy after throwing tantrums and seeking VVIP perks. The Pune collector wrote a letter to the Maharashtra chief secretary flagging the trainee officer’s demands for staff, and office after using a red beacon on her personal Audi car.
