Another Trouble For Puja Khedkar, DoPT Issues Show-Cause Notice

Pooja Khedkar has been given seven days to provide her explanation either in person at the DoPT or in writing.

The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has issued a show-cause notice to IAS trainee Puja Khedkar, requiring her to respond to various allegations by August 2. The notice, sent on July 26 via email and post, stems from inquiries conducted by multiple agencies. Khedkar has been given seven days to provide her explanation either in person at the DoPT or in writing.

According to a report by TOI,  DoPT officials emphasized that the notice follows standard procedures and grants Khedkar the option to choose her method of response. Should she fail to meet the deadline, further action will be considered. A single-member panel has been appointed by the central government to verify Khedkar's candidature claims and other details based on a report from the Maharashtra government. If Khedkar is found guilty of making false claims, she could face termination from service.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) lodged a complaint, prompting the Delhi Police's crime branch to register a case of cheating, fraud, and forgery against Khedkar. The single-member committee has already submitted its findings to the DoPT secretary, and a DoPT team is currently reviewing the report to determine the appropriate action.
Khedkar was scheduled to report to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie by July 23, following her district training program in Washim, Maharashtra. However, officials confirmed that she has not yet reported to the academy.

Pune's Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), Shailesh Balkawade, stated that the Delhi police crime branch has not requested assistance or information regarding the cheating and forgery case registered by the UPSC against Khedkar.

Pooja Khedkar's Anticipatory Bail Plea

Khedkar's anticipatory bail plea is set to be heard today by Delhi's Patiala House Court. The UPSC, through private counsel, and the crime branch, which is gathering documents from various government departments, have both opposed her bail application. Despite this, the court allowed arguments for Khedkar's bail to proceed and granted the UPSC permission to file any objections.

Khedkar is accused of misusing the disability and Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) quotas to secure her civil services examination candidature. The UPSC alleges that she fraudulently took the exam beyond the permissible number of attempts by falsifying her identity. The 2023-batch IAS officer was transferred from Pune to Washim earlier this month amid these allegations.