Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is currently under the scanner for allegedly lying about her disability to clear the Civil Services examination, said that she will address all the allegations against her before the committee.
Calling it a “media trial,” she stated, “This is a media trial, and people are watching. The truth will eventually come out. According to the Indian Constitution, a person cannot be considered guilty until the charges are proven.”
Speaking with the media, she stated, “I will say everything I need to before the committee, and I will accept whatever decision the committee makes.”
Khedkar had previously submitted two medical certificates — one claiming visual impairment and the other mental illness — to the Union Public Service Commission under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities category.
However, in a recent twist, sources informed India Today that the on-probation IAS officer also attempted to get a third medical certificate from a hospital in Pune, a request that was rejected by the medical facility.
Intended to prove physical disability, especially in the locomotor disability category, the trainee IAS officer had undergone several medical tests. However, the doctor who examined her said that “it was not possible to issue a disability certificate.”.
Puja Khedkar, according to the sources, had applied for a disability certificate from Aundh Hospital in Pune in August 2022.
Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, came under media glare after she kicked up a row as she allegedly requested special privileges from the Pune Collector’s office that were not permitted for her designation.
The Centre has formed a single-member committee for re-evaluating documents submitted by Puja to secure her candidature in the civil services exam.