Centre discharges Puja Khedkar from IAS with immediate effect: Sources

Puja Khedkar

The Central government has discharged Puja Khedkar from Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect, news agency PTI said quoting official sources.

"Khedkar has been sacked under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect," the sources said.

As per the rules, the central government holds the right to discharge probationers from service if they fail "to pass the re-examination..." or "if the central government is satisfied that the probationer was ineligible for recruitment to the Service or is unsuitable for being a member of the Service", among others.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had, on July 31, cancelled her candidature and debarred her from future exams. Khedkar allegedly misrepresented information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to get reservation benefits. She has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits.

On September 5, Khedkar told Delhi High Court that she was willing to get herself medically examined in All India Institute Of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), after the city police claimed that one of her disability certificates may be "forged" and "fabricated".

"I am willing to get myself medically examined. First they say I changed my name. Now they say disability is questionable. I am willing to go to AIIMS," the senior counsel appearing for Khedkar said.

Puja Khedkar was serving as a probationary IAS officer in her cadre state Maharashtra.

She was earlier transferred from Pune to Washim over alleged misuse of power. It was alleged that Khedkar had been using a red-blue beacon, VIP number plates and a 'Government of Maharashtra' sticker on her privately-owned Audi sedan - unauthorised under the Motor Vehicles Act.

According to various reports, she even demanded facilities which are not meant for probationary officers in the IAS. According to a report submitted by Pune collector Suhas Diwse to the General Administration Department, Khedkar had demanded a separate cabin, car, residential quarter and a peon even before joining the duty as a trainee on June 3.