Centre Forms Panel To Probe Disability Claims Made By Trainee IAS Officer

The Centre has formed a committee to verify “candidature claims and other details” submitted by trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who has been accused of allegedly misusing disability and OBC quota to secure a position in the service.

The single-member committee will submit its report in two weeks.

“The central government has constituted a single-member committee, chaired by a senior officer of the rank of Additional Secretary to government of India to verify the candidature claims and other details of Ms. Puja Manorma Dilip Khedkar, a candidate of Civil Services Examination-2022 and earlier CSEs. The committee will submit its report in 2 weeks,” the Department of Personnel and Training in a statement.

The 2023-batch trainee IAS officer also faces serious allegations of impropriety and misuse of her position as a bureaucrat. It is alleged that she had been using a red beacon, VIP number plates and a “Government of Maharashtra” sticker on her privately-owned Audi sedan.

Amid an escalating row, Ms Khedkar has been transferred to Washim.

“Government rules do not allow me to speak anything on this matter. So sorry, I cannot speak,” said Ms Khedkar responding to the media’s queries this morning.