Pune, July 17, 2024: Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar is at the center of a controversy over allegations of using a fake disability certificate to secure her position. But the plot thickens as new accusations have come to light. It is reported that Khedkar used a false address and a fake ration card to obtain the disability certificate.
According to media reports, Khedkar listed her residence as Plot Number 53, Dehu Alandi Road, Talawade, to obtain the disability certificate at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital. However, it has been discovered that this address actually belongs to a defunct company, Thermoverita Engg Pvt. Ltd., and is not a residential property.
Further investigations revealed that fake ration cards were created using the company’s address, through which Khedkar obtained a Locomotor Disability Certificate indicating a 7% disability in the knee, issued on August 24, 2022.
Adding to the controversy is the registration of Khedkar’s Audi car, which is also under the name of Thermoverita Engg Pvt. Ltd. She raised eyebrows by labeling the car with ‘Maharashtra Government’ and installing a red beacon. Moreover, the Taxation and Tax Collection Department of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has reported that the company owes Rs 2.7 lakh in dues for the past three years.
In response to these allegations, the Pune District Collector has forwarded a report on Khedkar to the secretariat, leading to the suspension of her district training. She has been instructed to report to Bengaluru for further action, instead of continuing her training in Washim as planned.
In a related development, the Pune Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has submitted a detailed report on the assets of Dilip Khedkar, Puja Khedkar’s father, to the state headquarters. Dilip Khedkar, who previously served as the Director of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) until 2020, is under scrutiny for allegedly accumulating unaccounted assets during his tenure. Authorities are expected to take further action pending the outcome of the investigation.
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