The Union government has discharged Puja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), just weeks after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) revoked her provisional candidature over allegations of fraud. Khedkar’s dismissal was carried out under Rule 12 of the IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, which permits the removal of probationers deemed unsuitable for service.
Khedkar, a controversial IAS probationer, has been at the center of legal disputes involving claims of cheating and misusing benefits under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quotas. The UPSC had previously accused her of submitting forged disability certificates during her application for the Civil Services Examination in 2022, using different documents for the 2022 and 2023 exams.
On July 31, the UPSC cancelled Khedkar’s candidature, stating that she had committed fraud against the commission and the public. The Delhi Police also accused her of submitting fabricated documents, seeking her custodial interrogation to investigate the extent of the conspiracy. Despite the serious allegations, Khedkar has denied any wrongdoing.
During a recent hearing, Khedkar told the Delhi High Court that she was ready to undergo a medical examination at AIIMS to prove the authenticity of her disability claims. “I am willing to get myself medically examined. First, they say I changed my name. Now they say my disability is questionable. I am willing to go to AIIMS,” her senior counsel said in her defense.
The IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, allow the central government to discharge probationers if they are found ineligible for recruitment or unsuitable for service. Khedkar’s dismissal comes amid an ongoing investigation into the allegations, casting a shadow over her brief stint in public service.
Sources By Agencies