By Tejas

Pune, July 31, 2024:In a significant move, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday, July 31, cancelled the selection of Puja Khedkar as a trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and imposed a lifetime ban on her from all future UPSC examinations. This severe action comes in response to revelations that Khedkar had falsified her identity to exceed the permissible number of attempts for the Civil Services Examination (CSE).

The UPSC's decision was detailed in a statement confirming that Khedkar had violated the Civil Services Examination rules by misrepresenting her identity to gain extra attempts. "A show cause notice (SCN) was issued to Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022 (CSE-2022), on July 18, 2024, for fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit provided in the examination rules by faking her identity," the statement read.

Initially, Khedkar was asked to respond to the notice by July 25, but she requested an extension until August 4. The UPSC granted her time until July 30, emphasising that it was a "final opportunity" and that "no further extension in time" would be permitted. Despite this extension, Khedkar failed to provide her explanation within the allotted timeframe.

After thoroughly reviewing the available records, the UPSC concluded that Khedkar had indeed breached the CSE-2022 rules. As a result, her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been annulled, and she has been permanently barred from all future UPSC examinations and selections.

In the wake of the Khedkar incident, the UPSC undertook an extensive review of the data of over 15,000 candidates who cleared the IAS screening process between 2009 and 2023. The commission stated, "After this detailed exercise, barring the case of Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, no other candidate has been found to have availed more attempts than permitted under the CSE Rules."

The UPSC acknowledged that its current standard operating procedure (SOP) failed to detect Khedkar's multiple attempts due to her deliberate changes in her name and her parents' names. The commission assured that measures are being taken to further strengthen the SOP to prevent such cases in the future.

Meanwhile, Puja Khedkar has filed an anticipatory bail appeal in Delhi's Patiala House Court. However, the court reserved its decision on Wednesday, July 31. Previously, the hearing for Khedkar's anticipatory bail plea was set for July 27 before Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala.

Khedkar first made headlines after Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase lodged a complaint against her with the General Administration Department. Diwase accused Khedkar and her father of exerting undue pressure for special accommodations, including a car, bungalow, and staff. This complaint led to the unearthing of a series of frauds allegedly committed by Khedkar, including the fabrication of a disability certificate, misuse of the OBC reservation, and altering her name to avail herself of more attempts at the civil service exams.

The controversies surrounding Khedkar have embroiled her entire family. Her mother is currently imprisoned in Yerawada jail for allegedly threatening a farmer in Mulshi village at gunpoint. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, is also facing an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) probe in a corruption case, though he has been granted bail. Like his daughter, Dilip Khedkar is also missing.

Adding to the intrigue, Pooja Khedkar lodged a harassment complaint against Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase at Washim police station. The case was subsequently transferred to the Pune police for further investigation. Despite receiving three summonses to record her statement, Khedkar has not yet appeared before Pune police.