The Indian government has established a committee to investigate the claims made by trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar regarding her eligibility under disability and OBC (Other Backward Classes) quotas. Puja Khedkar, a member of the 2023 batch of IAS officers, faces allegations of improper conduct and misuse of her bureaucratic position.
The committee, consisting of a senior officer of Additional Secretary rank, will review Khedkar’s candidature claims and other details submitted for the Civil Services Examination of 2022 and earlier. The committee is expected to present its findings within two weeks, according to the Department of Personnel and Training.
Puja Khedkar is accused of misusing a red-blue beacon, VIP number plates, and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her personal Audi car. Following these allegations, she has been transferred to Washim. When approached by the media, Khedkar declined to comment, citing government rules that prohibit her from discussing the matter.
The controversy also involves claims that Khedkar declared herself as visually and mentally impaired to receive certain concessions, but she reportedly did not undergo the mandatory medical tests to confirm these disabilities.
Additionally, Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar has questioned her eligibility under the OBC non-creamy layer category. Kumbhar alleged that Khedkar’s father has assets worth Rs 40 crores, which far exceeds the Rs 8 lakh annual income limit for OBC non-creamy layer status.
Kumbhar highlighted that her parents’ asset details were disclosed during the recent Lok Sabha elections, raising doubts about her eligibility for the OBC quota. He called for a thorough investigation into her appointment as an IAS officer under this category.
Puja Khedkar secured an unimpressive rank of 841 in the all-India civil services exam. Her selection was initially challenged by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which recruits top civil servants. A tribunal, however, ruled in her favor in February 2023.
The findings of the committee will be crucial in determining the legitimacy of Khedkar’s claims and her future in the Indian Administrative Service.
Comments