Puja Khedkar, a former IAS trainee officer, has been permanently barred from taking any future Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams after being accused of cheating and forgery. Between 2012 and 2023, Khedkar faked her identity at least seven times to appear for the civil services examination, using different names and altering her personal details. She misused the disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) quotas to secure her candidature. Her provisional candidature was canceled, and she has reportedly fled to Dubai to evade arrest.
5 Major Key Points:
- Identity Forgery: Khedkar changed her name, her parents’ names, photographs, signatures, email IDs, addresses, and phone numbers in her UPSC applications over several years.
- Misuse of Quotas: She falsely claimed to belong to the OBC and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories to exceed the permitted number of exam attempts.
- Multiple Attempts: She appeared for the UPSC exam seven times between 2012 and 2023 using forged identities and false claims.
- Legal Action: The UPSC has permanently debarred her from all future exams, and the Delhi Police have rejected her anticipatory bail plea, citing the need for custodial interrogation.
- Evading Arrest: Reports suggest Khedkar has fled to Dubai to avoid arrest after her candidature was canceled and allegations of misconduct during her probation period surfaced.
