Delhi Police files case against trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar for forging documents and cheating UPSC

The Crime Branch of Delhi Police filed a case against probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar on Friday, July 19, for allegedly forging documents and cheating the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

Delhi Police officials said they filed the case under sections of the Forgery, Cheating, IT Act, and Disability Act.

As per officials aware of the matter, the UPSC lodged a complaint with the police that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father’s and mother’s names, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address.

Additionally, the UPSC, in a statement on Friday, said that it has served Puja Khedkar a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature from the Civil Services Exam -2022 and to debar her from future exams.

“The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Ms Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022,” the commission said.

“The UPSC initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal prosecution by filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the police authorities and has issued a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022 and debarment from future examinations, selections, in accordance with the rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022," said the statement.

The Maharashtra government's General Administrative Department (GAD), led by additional chief secretary Nitin Gadre, delivered its report on the numerous accusations against Khedkar to the Union government's Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) earlier on Thursday, July 18. The one-member Center committee led by Assistant Secretary Manoj Diwedi, who was investigating the matter, received the report.

Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch Indian Administrative Service officer (IAS), was recently accused of misusing power and privileges during her training in Pune.

Puja Khedkar courted controversy following the revelation that she had an amber beacon and the state government emblem placed on the Audi she drove to work, as well as a disagreement with a senior official over the use of the latter's office.