Puja Khedkar got disability certificates from Ahmednagar dist hospital
Puja Khedkar under scrutiny for allegedly manipulating disability and OBC quotas for civil services. Authorities investigating, including UPSC and local police.
Puja Khedkar, who recently courted controversy for misusing benefits from the Other Backward Class (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) quota to secure a position in civil services, was issued the disability certificate for visual impairment by Ahmednagar District Hospital in 2018. Three years later, the probationer currently posted in Washim, was issued the mental illness certificate by the same authorities in 2021, said Dr Sanjay Ghogare, Ahmednagar district civil surgeon.
UPSC has roped in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi, as the nodal agency for checks on candidates seeking disability certificates. Khedkar had allegedly not turned up for the medical tests despite many calls from the hospital.
Following allegations of manipulating disability and OBC quotas, Ghogare has asked his staff to check the records. “Puja Khedkar was given the certificates of visual impairment and mental illness by the then medical board in 2018 and 2021 respectively. The board in April 2021 also issued a joint certificate for both the disabilities,” he said.
The 32-year-old officer from 2023 batch facing allegations of high-handedness being probed by multiple agencies, including a central government-appointed committee led by IAS officer Manoj Dwivedi.
On being asked about allegations, Puja said, “I will present my side to the committee.”
Meanwhile, the state commissioner for disability Pravin Puri has written to Pune district collector Suhas Diwase and Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar to file a report on Puja’s disability certificate. Puri has asked the police commissioner to conduct an inquiry according to the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, as directed by the state government, and submit a report. Puri’s directions came after Disabled Persons Association, Pune, Rafique Khan petitioned Kumar requesting legal action, including FIR against the trainee officer for securing the central government job on disability and OBC quotas.
Pune rural cops in Mulshi
Alongside, a team from Paud police station, which comes under Pune Rural Police, visited Dhadwali village in Pune district on Saturday to procure the mobile phone that was used to shoot the video of Puja’s mother Manorama waving a gun.
The action came a day after Pune Rural Police booked Manorama, her husband Dilip and five others for allegedly threatening farmers. Manorama was seen brandishing a gun to farmers over a land dispute in Mulshi tehsil, in Pune district. Cops have recorded statements of four local witnesses from the village and are in the process of collecting more evidence, said officials.
A police officer who is part of the investigation team said, “We have completed the spot panchnama and seized a mobile phone from which the alleged video was shot. It has been sent for technical analysis, following which we will submit evidence to court.”
He further said, after all statements are recorded, police will call the those booked and take further action.
