The Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital in Pune has completed its internal investigation into the locomotor disability certificate issued to IAS probationer Puja Khedkar. The hospital found no wrongdoing in the issuance of the certificate, which was issued in August 2022 for a seven percent disability related to Khedkar’s left knee joint.
The probe was initiated following allegations that Khedkar may have used fraudulent means, including manipulating disability and OBC quotas, to secure her position in the UPSC examination. However, the hospital’s orthopaedic and physiotherapy departments confirmed that the certificate was issued in accordance with the rules and had no impact on educational or employment benefits.
Khedkar had also submitted certificates for visual impairment and mental illness from the Ahmednagar District Civil Hospital for the years 2018 and 2021, respectively, under the PwBD category. She faced further allegations of misusing her position to demand unentitled perks and benefits, as well as incorrectly claiming benefits under the OBC non-creamy layer quota.
In response to the allegations, Khedkar was transferred from Pune to Washim, and her probation was put on hold. The UPSC has taken serious actions against her, including registering a police case for allegedly falsifying her identity to gain additional attempts in the civil services examination. There is potential for the cancellation of her candidature for the civil services examination-2022 and her debarment from future examinations.
The Centre has also directed Pune police to provide information on Khedkar’s parents’ marital status, as there are claims that she misrepresented this information to access OBC non-creamy layer benefits.
While the YCM Hospital’s internal probe has cleared the institution of any wrongdoing, the investigation into Khedkar’s alleged fraudulent activities continues to unfold.
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