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Police to Investigate Medical Certificates of IAS Puja Khedkar Amid Disability Misrepresentation Allegations

Pune police will conduct an inquiry into the authenticity of medical certificates submitted by probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities category, as per officials.

Khedkar, a 2023-batch officer currently posted in Washim district, had submitted multiple medical certificates to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), including one indicating visual impairment, under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) provision.

The Maharashtra cadre officer faces accusations of using fraudulent means to clear her civil services exam, including allegedly misrepresenting herself under the physical disabilities and OBC categories, and misusing power and privileges during her posting in Pune.

The Office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has written to the Pune police and the district collectorate to verify the certificates submitted by Khedkar.

A senior police official stated, “We have received a letter from the Office of the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities. They have asked us to check the authenticity of the certificates submitted by Puja Khedkar. We will verify the facts about these certificates, including where they were obtained and which doctors or hospitals certified them.”

It has also emerged that the controversial junior IAS officer had submitted a fitness certificate while securing admission to a private medical college in 2007.

On Sunday (14^th July), Pune police confiscated a luxury car used by Puja Khedkar for allegedly installing a red beacon light on it illegally.