New Delhi. UPSC has taken a big action against Maharashtra cadre trainee IAS Pooja Khedkar, who has been embroiled in controversies for the last several days, and has cancelled her selection in IAS. Not only this, she has also been barred from appearing in UPSC examination in future. This means that Pooja will neither be an IAS officer now nor will she be able to appear in UPSC examination again in future. After examining the available records, UPSC has found Pooja Manorama Dilip Khedkar guilty of violating CSE-2022 rules.
Puja Khedkar’s provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been canceled and she has also been debarred permanently from all the future Examinations/Selections of the UPSC: UPSC pic.twitter.com/N8O23Gm8xe
— IANS (@ians_india) July 31, 2024
Many serious allegations were made against Pooja including that she had obtained a disability certificate through fraudulent means and had taken advantage of reservation in the UPSC exam. After investigation, many links of her deeds were revealed one after the other. In this case, an FIR was also lodged against Pooja by UPSC and a notice was issued to Pooja asking for an answer as to why her post should not be cancelled. Along with this, Pooja’s training duty was stopped midway and she was ordered to report to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie. However, Pooja did not report to the Mussoorie Academy nor did she respond to the notice of UPSC.
#WATCH , Anticipatory bail hearing of trainee IAS Puja Khedkar | Counsel for UPSC, Advocate Naresh Kaushik says, “During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel argued that she believed bonafide that she is entitled to the benefits of OBC after the introduction of the 2018 act. On… pic.twitter.com/qvQviMHJXD
— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2024
UPSC had given time till 30th July to respond to the notice, after that time has passed, action was taken against Pooja today. On the other hand, Pooja had filed an application in Delhi’s Patiala House Court to avoid arrest. After hearing on this, the court reserved the decision today. The court will give its decision tomorrow, Thursday at 4 pm. Before this, the central government has also sent a notice to Pooja Khedkar on Tuesday. Pooja has been given time till 2nd August to respond to this notice of DoPT.