Government Probes Candidature Claims of Controversial IAS Officer

The Centre has formed a one-member committee to investigate the claims and details regarding IAS officer Puja Khedkar, accused of misusing disability and OBC quotas. An additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) will lead the inquiry, with a report due in two weeks.

The Centre has inaugurated a single-member panel to scrutinize the candidature claims and other details of controversial probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of exploiting disability and OBC quotas to gain entry into the service.

An additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) will lead the investigation and file a report within a fortnight.

The central government announced the formation of the committee, chaired by a senior officer of the Additional Secretary rank to verify the claims surrounding Ms. Puja Manorma Dilip Khedkar, a candidate from the Civil Services Examination-2022 and prior exams. The committee's findings will be disclosed in two weeks. Khedkar, 34, has been transferred from Pune to Washim amidst allegations of misconduct and entitlement and has assumed the role of assistant collector at the Washim District Collectorate in the Vidarbha region.