- By Kamal Kumar
- Fri, 19 Jul 2024 06:45 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Pooja Khedkar, Trainee IAS accused of using fake disability and category certificate to get into civil services, faced a major setback as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) lodged a police case against her for faking her identity to avail extra attempts in the CSE exam. The commission also issued her a show-cause notice asking why her candidature for Civil Services 2022 should not be cancelled and why she should not be barred from future examinations conducted by the commission.
Reacting to the UPSC notice, Pooja Khedkar, who was earlier recalled by the IAS training academy LBSNAA from her district training program, said: "Whatever is there, I will reply to that."
Khedkar, when asked about the penal action taken by the apex commission, said that 'judiciary will take its course'.
"The judiciary will take its course. Whatever is there, I will reply to that..." Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar said.
#WATCH | Washim, Maharashtra: On UPSC filing FIR against her, Trainee IAS Officer Puja Khedkar says, "The judiciary will take its course. Whatever is there, I will reply to that..." pic.twitter.com/MlJHx5OcR9
— ANI (@ANI) July 19, 2024
Pooja Khedkar Row
Maharashtra cadre IAS probationer Pooja Khedkar came to limelight after she was alleged of power misuse and use of fake visual and mental infirmity certificate in UPSC recruitment by several whistleblowers. She allegedly demanded a government vehicle, office, siren-beacon and letter pad from her junior officers - facilities not available to IAS probationers.
Meanwhile, her UPSC result also surfaced on social media, showing the use of multiple categories of reservation sought by Khedkar. While her father, a retired government officer, reportedly declared assets of over Rs 40 crores in an election affidavit, Pooja Khedlar used an Other Backward Classes (OBC) non-creamy layer quota to get into the coveted IAS. She also used a Divyang certificate claiming a high level of visual and mental disability. However, skipped over 6 chances given by UPSC to get the medical tests done.
After Pooja, her mother, Manorama Khedkar was caught in the eye of another controversy after a video of her threatening farmers with a licence pistol surfaced over social media. She was later arrested by Maharashtra police in the case.