In a major development, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) said today that it has initiated criminal proceedings against Maharashtra cadre (2023) IAS Probationary Officer Puja Khedkar for a series of irregularities perpetrated by her.

The UPSC said in a statement that it has also served Khedkar with a show-cause notice for “cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination (CSE)-2022/debarment from future examinations/selections”, in accordance with the rules of the CSE-2022.

The statutory body said that it conducted a detailed investigation into the misdemeanour by Khedkar, whom it described as “a provisionally recommended candidate” for the CSE-2022

“The investigation has revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limits under the examination rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her parents’ names, her photograph/signature, her email ID, mobile number and address,” the UPSC said.

Accordingly, the UPSC has initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal proceedings by filing an FIR with the police, besides serving her a show-cause notice.

Following a series of exposes against her, Khedkar, currently appointed as Assistant Collector, Washim, was last week removed from her field assignment and ordered to report back to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, ‘for further action’.

IAS-PO Khedkar files harassment complaint

Khedkar is expected to meet the Pune Police on July 20 and record her statement pertaining to allegations of harassment levelled against the district Collector, a top official in Pune said today.

“We have issued a second summons to her seeking her presence to record her statement tomorrow. She has indicated that she will be coming here… We shall wait,” Pune Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar told agencies.

He said that Dr Khedkar was issued the first summons calling her on July 18, but she failed to turn up, after which the second summons was served to her in Washim.

Kumar said that in case she does not turn up even on July 20, then the Pune Police will examine the situation and take the appropriate measures.

Earlier this week, Dr Puja Khedkar had given a written complaint to the police with shocking claims of alleged harassment by the Pune Collector Suhas Diwate who had sought her transfer from Pune to Washim.

(Compiled from syndicated feed)