Mumbai: The case of probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar has escalated into a significant controversy following the emergence of discrepancies in the other backward class (OBC) and disability certificates she submitted to secure her position in the civil service, ThePrint has learned.
Khedkar, a 2023 batch IAS officer who ranked 841 in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam, was transferred out of the Pune collector’s office after complaints of impropriety. A senior Maharashtra cadre IAS officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that Khedkar allegedly submitted an OBC non-creamy layer certificate, which implies that her family’s annual income is less than Rs 8 lakh. However, her asset declaration statement, mandatory for all successful candidates upon joining the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) for training, declared immovable assets amounting to Rs 22 crore.
This mismatch between Khedkar’s OBC non-creamy layer certificate and her declared assets has put the UPSC and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) under scrutiny. The UPSC is responsible for conducting the civil service exams and recruiting successful candidates, while the DoPT is the controlling authority for IAS officers. Four senior IAS officers, posted in Maharashtra and Delhi, highlighted lapses at various levels in the verification of documents, including Khedkar’s OBC non-creamy layer status and multiple disability certificates.
In response to the controversy, the Centre has constituted a committee to inquire into the matter and verify Khedkar’s candidature claims. The discrepancies in Khedkar’s documents are unprecedented, according to several senior IAS officers. The verification process for OBC certificates and other documents is typically rigorous, involving multiple layers of scrutiny by both the UPSC and DoPT.
Adding to the concerns, Khedkar’s father, Deelip Kondiba Khedkar, who contested the Maharashtra Lok Sabha election from Ahmednagar constituency in 2024, declared total assets of Rs 40 crore in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India. Deelip Khedkar, a retired Maharashtra Pollution Control Board officer, ran as a candidate of Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi party but lost.
Attempts to reach Puja Khedkar and Deelip Kondiba Khedkar for comments were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
