NEW DELHI: Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, in the eye of a storm over the authenticity of her disability and OBC status claims that got her appointed to the civil services, on Monday said the media trial against her is unfair and she will address all the allegations against her before the committee.
“Everybody knows what is going on. So proving me guilty by media trial is wrong on everybody’s part.The Indian Constitution is based on the fact that you are innocent till proven guilty” She said.
“I will testify in front of the expert committee and we will accept the decision of the committee…I do not have the right to tell you whatever investigation is going on. Whatever submission I have, will become public later.” Khedkar added.
In a related development, it has come to light that Khedkar reportedly submitted a fitness certificate upon admission to a private medical college in 2007 that did not mention any physical or mental disability, according to the institute’s director, Dr. Arvind Bhore. She also provided documents indicating her classification under the NT (Nomadic Tribes) category and Vanjari community, including caste and non-creamy layer certificates.
On Thursday, the central government established a single-member committee to examine the claims and details surrounding Khedkar’s candidature. The ministry of personnel announced that the committee, chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary, would submit its report in two weeks.
The IAS trainee was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office.
More seriously, Khedkar allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports indicate she also submitted a mental illness certificate. In April 2022, she was asked to report to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate but did not comply, citing a Covid-19 infection.
“Everybody knows what is going on. So proving me guilty by media trial is wrong on everybody’s part.The Indian Constitution is based on the fact that you are innocent till proven guilty” She said.
“I will testify in front of the expert committee and we will accept the decision of the committee…I do not have the right to tell you whatever investigation is going on. Whatever submission I have, will become public later.” Khedkar added.
In a related development, it has come to light that Khedkar reportedly submitted a fitness certificate upon admission to a private medical college in 2007 that did not mention any physical or mental disability, according to the institute’s director, Dr. Arvind Bhore. She also provided documents indicating her classification under the NT (Nomadic Tribes) category and Vanjari community, including caste and non-creamy layer certificates.
On Thursday, the central government established a single-member committee to examine the claims and details surrounding Khedkar’s candidature. The ministry of personnel announced that the committee, chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary, would submit its report in two weeks.
The IAS trainee was also accused of removing the nameplate of a senior official at the Pune collector’s office when he allowed her to use his ante-chamber as her office.
More seriously, Khedkar allegedly submitted fake disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates to clear the civil services exam. Reports indicate she also submitted a mental illness certificate. In April 2022, she was asked to report to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, for verification of her disability certificate but did not comply, citing a Covid-19 infection.