The Delhi Police has informed the Delhi High Court that suspended trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar submitted 2 disability certificates, one of which is suspected to be forged.
According to the police report, documents from the UPSC revealed that the certificates, claimed to be from Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, were not issued by the Medical Authority there.
The authority confirmed that one of the certificates, identified by number MH2610119900342407, was not in their records, raising concerns about its authenticity.
The Delhi High Court had previously extended interim protection from arrest for Khedkar. Justice Subramonium Prasad postponed the hearing on Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea to September 5, while awaiting a fresh status report from the Delhi Police.
Khedkar, who faces accusations of cheating and improperly securing benefits through OBC and disability quotas, has argued that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) does not have the authority to disqualify her. The High Court had earlier issued notices to both the Delhi Police and UPSC and instructed the police not to arrest her while the matter is under review.
The court had criticized the trial court’s denial of Khedkar’s bail, noting the lack of detailed discussion beyond the Public Prosecutor’s brief mention of possible involvement by others. The High Court has directed that Khedkar not be arrested until further proceedings are complete.
UPSC contends that Khedkar is a key figure in the case and argues that her actions, which allegedly included falsifying her identity for additional examination attempts, would have required substantial assistance from others. The dismissal of her plea by Delhi’s Patiala House Court last week emphasized the seriousness of the allegations and the need for a thorough investigation.
