IAS officer Puja Khedkar is under scrutiny due to allegations surrounding her use of a non-creamy layer OBC certificate to gain admission to MBBS in 2007.
She secured a seat at Shrimati Kashibai Navale Medical College through the AMUPDMC entrance exam, scoring 146 out of 200 marks. At the time of admission, all submitted documents, including the OBC certificate from the NT-3 category of the Vanjari community, were verified and deemed authentic by the college authorities, with the issuing authority located in Ahmednagar district.
However, Pune-based RTI activist Vijay Kumbhar has seriously questioned her eligibility. According to Kumbhar, Khedkar's father declared assets amounting to Rs 40 crore and an annual income of Rs 49 lakh in a Lok Sabha election affidavit. This disclosure contradicts the Rs 8 lakh per annum income ceiling for the OBC non-creamy layer category. Kumbhar asserts that publicly available information suggests discrepancies in the validity of Khedkar's OBC certificate or in her father's affidavit.
Beyond the admission controversy, Khedkar faces additional allegations related to her IAS application, including the submission of potentially fraudulent disability and caste certificates. She is also accused of misusing her authority, such as unauthorized use of a vehicle with beacon lights and demanding privileges not typically granted to trainee officers.
The situation has sparked calls for a thorough investigation into Khedkar's background and the integrity of her documents. The controversy underscores broader concerns about transparency and integrity in civil service examinations and appointments. As the case unfolds, scrutiny continues over the validity of Khedkar's credentials and the implications for her career in public service.
