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The controversial case of Pooja Khedkar, an IAS probationer, has reached its conclusion with the Union Government dismissing her from service. This decision follows the earlier dismissal by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in July due to allegations of certificate forgery and multiple attempts to crack the service by changing her name. Khedkar's tenure as a trainee officer in the Pune collectorate was marred by her inappropriate behavior, raising concerns about her suitability for the civil service. During this period, she used an official beacon on her private vehicle and claimed the chamber of the additional collector, Ajay More, while he was absent.
Khedkar's father, Dilip Khedkar, a former state government official, reportedly threatened collectorate officials with dire consequences if they did not cooperate with his daughter. The situation escalated to the point where the district collector, Suhas Diwase, wrote to the state's chief secretary, Sujata Saunik, expressing concerns about Khedkar's behavior. As a result, she was transferred to Washim as an assistant collector. However, the controversy surrounding Khedkar did not end there. Questions arose about the validity of several certificates, including her disability certificate and caste certificate.
Khedkar had been appointed under the OBC category and claimed to have multiple disabilities, including visual and psychiatric impairments. The legitimacy of her caste certificate was questioned due to her father's declaration of a substantial asset of Rs 40 crores in his election affidavit. Furthermore, it came to light that Khedkar had exceeded the permissible number of attempts for the examination by slightly changing her name. The validity of her disability certificate also faced scrutiny, as she reportedly failed to obtain it from Pune and managed to procure it from Ahmednagar, her home district. The situation took a further turn when old videos surfaced of her mother, Manorama, brandishing a gun. Both her father and mother were subsequently arrested and are now out on bail.
The Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, based in Mussorie, terminated Khedkar's probation and called her back. Based on reports from Nashik's divisional commissioner, Pravin Gedam, the UPSC dismissed Khedkar from service due to charges of forged documents and deliberately appearing for examinations exceeding the allowed attempts. Khedkar challenged this dismissal in the Delhi High Court. The dismissal of Pooja Khedkar has been met with a positive reaction from some quarters. Vijay Kumbhar, an AAP leader and RTI activist, welcomed the decision and called for similar action against other officers whose certificates are under scrutiny. This case highlights the importance of integrity and transparency in the civil service, and the consequences of attempting to circumvent the rules and regulations governing entry into this prestigious field.
Source: Puja Khedkar dismissed from service: The false rise and deep fall of an IAS probationer