Centre Discharges Puja Khedkar From Indian Administrative Service With Immediate Effect
New Delhi: The central government has discharged Puja Khedkar, former probationary civil servant, from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect, official sources said on Saturday. Khedkar has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits to ensure her selection in the service. She has denied all allegations.
The central government, vide order dated September 6, 2024, discharged Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect, the sources said.
The rules allow the central government to discharge probationers from service if they fail “to pass the re-examination…” or “if the central government is satisfied that the probationer was ineligible for recruitment to the Service or is unsuitable for being a member of the Service”, among others.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had on July 31 cancelled her candidature and debarred her from future exams. Khedkar was serving as a probationary IAS officer in her cadre state Maharashtra.
Willing To Get Disability Examined In AIIMS, ex-IAS probationer Puja Khedkar Tells Delhi HC
Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar on Thursday told Delhi High Court she was willing to get herself medically examined in AIIMS, after the city police claimed that one of her disability certificates may be “forged” and “fabricated”.
Khedkar, who has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits, made the submission while the court was dealing with her anticipatory bail plea in the criminal case.
“I am willing to get myself medically examined. First they say I changed my name. Now they say disability is questionable. I am willing to go to AIIMS,” the senior counsel appearing for Khedkar said.
Justice Subramonium Prasad listed the matter for further hearing on September 26, recording that the police have prayed for 10 more days for further investigation. Khedkar’s interim protection of arrest granted by the high court will continue till then.
The Delhi Police counsel argued that Khedkar “concealed facts” while attempting the civil services examination that she was otherwise not eligible to write.
Khedkar’s senior lawyer claimed that the police have not pressed for her custodial interrogation in its status report filed in the matter, and the same was anyway not required as all records were available with the authorities.
The police said her custody was essential to unearth the “conspiracy” and the other persons involved. Khedkar allegedly misrepresented information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to get reservation benefits.
(With inputs from agencies)
