The Centre on Thursday constituted a single-member Committee to verify the candidature of probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is facing allegations of misusing the disability and Other Backward Class quota to secure a position in the service.

In a statement, the Centre said the probe would be conducted by an additional secretary-rank officer to verify the candidature claims and other details of the 2023 batch officer, who has been allotted the Maharashtra cadre.

Puja Khedkar claimed to be visually impaired and mentally ill in the affidavit submitted to the Union Public Service Commission. Despite her low examination marks, these concessions made it possible for her to clear the exams, and she secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 821.

Following her selection, the UPSC required her to undergo medical tests to verify her disabilities. However, Khedkar refused to attend these examinations on six different occasions.

After giving a miss to five scheduled medical examinations between April 22, 2022 and August 26, 2022. She did not show up for the crucial MRI on September 2 that meant to assess her vision loss.

Khedkar submitted an MRI report from an external centre, which the UPSC rejected. The UPSC then challenged her selection in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which ruled against her on February 23, 2023.

However, her MRI certificate was later accepted, which confirmed her appointment as an IAS officer.

Puja Khedkar hit the national headlines after she was transferred from Pune to Washim for alleged misuse of power as she sought special privileges from the Collector's office that were not allowed for her designation.

Source: India Today