Puja Khedkar tried forging disability certificate, request was rejected

Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is currently under scanner for allegedly lying about her mental and visual impairment to qualify for Civil Services and alleged misuse of power, also attempted to obtain a forged third medical certificate from a hospital in Pune, which was rejected.

According to sources, the on-probation civil services officer applied for a disability certificate from Aundh Hospital in Pune in August 2022.

The third certificate was intended to falsely prove that she was physically impaired, specifically in the locomotor disability category, sources added. Khedkar had initially applied for this certificate, but after undergoing various tests, her application was rejected by the hospital.

The locomotor disability refers to any form of cerebral palsy or a condition of the bones, joints, or muscles that restricts limb movement significantly.

Notably, Khedkar had previously submitted two medical certificates — one indicating visual impairment and the other mental illness — to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) category.

These certificates were issued by the Ahmednagar District Civil Hospital. Each certificate was granted by different committees, one in 2018 and the other in 2021.

Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer of the Maharashtra cadre, came under fire after reports emerged that she lied about her mental and visual condition to secure an IAS post.

She missed as many as six medical tests to verify her disability in 2022 but later produced an MRI report from an external medical centre, which was accepted in 2023 after an eight-month delay.

Puja Khedkar recently came under intense media glare after she kicked up a controversy after she allegedly requested special privileges from the Pune Collector's office that were not permitted for her designation.

The 34-year-old trainee officer also used her private Audi car with a red-blue beacon light and VIP number plate. She had also installed a 'Maharashtra government' board on her private car.

The Centre has constituted a single-member committee for re-examining documents submitted by Puja to secure her candidature in the civil services examination and then for IAS selection.