IAS Officer Discharged Following Allegations of Misconduct and Cheating

The central government has discharged IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar over allegations of cheating and misusing quotas. Following an investigation by the Union Public Service Commission, it was found that Khedkar had falsified documents and was ineligible for selection. She denies all allegations and has sought a medical examination to address claims of forged disability certificates.

The central government has discharged Puja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect, over a month after the Union Public Service Commission cancelled her selection, official sources said on Saturday.

Khedkar, a trainee officer from the 2023 batch, has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits to ensure her selection in the government service. She has denied all allegations.

The central government, in an order dated September 6, 2024, 'discharged' Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service under Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, with immediate effect, the sources said.

A probationer is 'discharged' while an IAS officer is 'dismissed' from service. One of the provisions of Rule 12 provides for discharge on the grounds of a probationer being found to be ineligible to be recruited to the Service.

Khedkar, who was provisionally allotted to the Indian Administrative Service (Maharashtra cadre), on the basis of the result of the civil services examination (CSE)-2022 taken by her, was also accused of misusing power and privileges during her training in Pune.

A criminal case was registered against her in July by Delhi Police for 'misrepresenting and falsifying facts' following a 'thorough investigation' by the UPSC into allegations of misconduct.

Reports emerged suggesting she may have been ineligible to be a candidate at the CSE-2022 and previous exams. A single-member committee was constituted on July 11, 2024, to verify her candidature claims.

The panel submitted its report on July 24, 2024. Taking note of the findings and conclusions of the committee, the government proceeded with a summary enquiry according to the provisions of Rule 12 of IAS (Probation) Rules, 1954, including giving Khedkar a reasonable opportunity.

It was found that she applied and appeared for the CSE between 2012 and 2023, exceeding the maximum permissible limit of nine attempts in her claimed category. She had exhausted this limit by 2020, making her ineligible for the CSE-2022, which was the year of her selection and appointment to the IAS.

Therefore, her recruitment to the Indian Administrative Service was deemed ineligible.

In a related development, Khedkar on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that she was willing to get herself medically examined at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), after city police claimed that one of her disability certificates may be 'forged' and 'fabricated'. She made the submission before the court, which is dealing with her anticipatory bail plea in the criminal case registered by the Delhi Police on the UPSC's complaint.

(With inputs from agencies.)