Controversial trainee Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar on Friday said “judiciary will take it course”, after the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) filed a case against her.
"Judiciary will take it's course; whatever it is there, I will reply to that," she was quoted by PTI as saying.
The UPSC has also issued a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of the civil services examination-2022 and debarment from future examinations and selections.
ALSO READ: Puja Khedkar case: Maharashtra govt sends report on IAS trainee to DoPT
“The UPSC has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination 2022. From this investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father's and mother's name, her photograph/signature, her email ID, mobile number and address,” the commission said in a statement.
Khedkar, a 2022 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre, is accused of misusing her power and privileges, by demanding perks and facilities she was not entitled for during her training in Pune District Collectorate in Maharashtra.
ALSO READ: Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar's mother detained for brandishing gun
Khedkar is also accused of bullying everyone around and of placing a red-blue beacon (indicating high-ranking official) atop a private Audi (a luxury sedan) car used by her that also had 'Maharashtra government' written on it during her stint.
{{/usCountry}}Khedkar is also accused of bullying everyone around and of placing a red-blue beacon (indicating high-ranking official) atop a private Audi (a luxury sedan) car used by her that also had 'Maharashtra government' written on it during her stint.
{{/usCountry}}After the Pune district collector flagged the matter, Khedkar was transferred to Washim District Collectorate in the Vidarbha region.
As per UPSC records, she secured 821st rank in civil services examination 2022 under the OBC category as a person with multiple disabilities.
On July 11, the Centre had set up a single-member probe panel of Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, after Khedkar's case related to alleged misuse of disability and Other Backward Class or OBC (non-creamy layer) quotas came to the fore.