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Puja Khedkar obtains disability certificate despite physiotherapist's ‘no'
Puja Khedkar visited YCM Hospital in 2022 to obtain a disability certificate, using address proof that was later discovered to be fraudulent.
Puja Khedkar, trainee IAS officer accused of manipulating disability and OBC certificates, received a "7 per cent locomotor disability certificate" from Pune's civic hospital in August 2022, despite the physiotherapy department at the hospital reporting no disability.
According to an India Today report, the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital issued the certificate, noting a 7 per cent locomotor disability in her left knee.
The Pune Collector's Office has investigated the issue following directives from the 'DIVYANG' Welfare Commissionerate. When applying for her disability certificate, Puja Khedkar informed the doctors at YCM Hospital about a minor accident in 2018 that injured her left knee. However, according to exclusive documents obtained by India Today, no medical records from that year were reviewed, and no MRI scan was conducted during her examination.
On August 23, 2022, Khedkar visited YCM Hospital to obtain a disability certificate, using address proof that was later discovered to be fraudulent and from a fake ration card. Earlier, on July 25, Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital in Pune conducted an internal investigation and found no misconduct in the issuance of the seven per cent locomotor disability certificate to Puja Khedkar.
Rajendra Wable, dean of YCM Hospital, said, “The internal report confirmed that the certificate was issued after a comprehensive evaluation by our physiotherapy and orthopaedic departments, and all medical tests were conducted according to regulations. No misconduct was found.”
Wable also pointed out that the investigation’s results refuted the notion that Puja Khedkar's claims of locomotor disability were valid for any advantages in her bid to become an IAS officer.
Puja Khedkar's anticipatory bail hearing
The Patiala House Court in Delhi is set to hear Puja Khedkar's anticipatory bail application on Tuesday. This hearing relates to an FIR lodged against her for allegedly falsifying her identity to unlawfully exceed the allowed number of attempts in the civil services examination.
Previously, Delhi Police had filed the FIR following a complaint from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) concerning Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar.
"In this matter, the Commission stated that it has also issued her a show cause notice for cancelling her selection and debarment from future examinations. From the 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 names, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address," the UPSC said in a press release.
Khedkar was a provisionally recommended candidate for the Civil Services Examination 2022. The UPSC stated that it has taken several actions against her, including initiating criminal proceedings by filing an FIR with the police. Additionally, a show cause notice (SCN) has been issued, seeking the cancellation of Khedkar’s candidature for the 2022 exam and barring her from future examinations and selections, as per the rules governing the Civil Services Examination 2022.
