The Union government on Saturday (September 7) relieved ex-trainee officer Pooja Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect. The action has been taken against him under Rule 12 of the IAS (Probationary) Rules, 1954. Pooja was an IAS trainee of 2023 batch. He secured 841st rank in CSE-2022. She was taking training from June 2024. He is accused of providing false information about himself to appear in the Civil Services Examination 2022 to avail reservation. The UPSC found Pooja guilty in its investigation. After this, Pooja's selection was canceled on 31 July. Pooja was accused of giving false information about her age, her parents and appearing in the civil services examination more than the prescribed limit by changing her identity. Pooja lost his post after the selection was cancelled. He is barred from appearing in any UPSC exam in future. September 5: Pooja said – I am ready to take the test in AIIMS. Pooja Khedkar's interim bail application was heard in the Delhi High Court. Pooja told the court that she was ready to get her disability checked at AIIMS. On September 4, the Delhi Police filed a fresh status report in the High Court saying that one of the two disability certificates submitted by Pooja to the UPSC was suspected to be fake. Regarding this, Pooja said that I am ready to undergo my medical examination. First he said that I have changed my name and given the exam. Now they are doubting my disability too. If so I am willing to go to AIIMS. July 31: UPSC cancels Pooja's selection on July 31 UPSC canceled Pooja's selection on July 31 and also barred her from conducting any future exams. After examining the documents, UPSC found Pooja guilty of violating CSE-2022 rules. The Commission also registered a case with the Delhi Police. In this hearing, the Delhi High Court granted interim bail to former IAS officer Pooja Khedkar from arrest. Justice Subramaniam Prasad said the hearing of Khedkar's interim bail plea was adjourned till September 5 as the Delhi Police wanted to file a fresh status report in the case. July 30: Pooja tells High Court – I am 47% disabled On August 30, Pooja filed a reply in the Delhi High Court that reservation in the UPSC exam requires a candidate to have 40% disability. I am 47% disabled. So, in UPSC exam only my effort should be counted in disabled category. He said he had a certificate from a hospital in Maharashtra, confirming a torn ACL and instability in the left knee. Pooja said that she had made 12 attempts for the civil services exam. Out of which 7 attempts are given from general category. Pooja appealed to ignore all the seven general category attempts. August 28: UPSC has no right to take action against me Pooja told the Delhi High Court on August 28 that UPSC has no right to take action against her. Pooja said that UPSC has verified my identity through biometric data (head and fingerprints) collected during the 2019, 2021 and 2022 personality tests. All my documents were verified by commission in personality test on 26 May 2022.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
Central govt action on Pooja Khedkar: Removed from IAS service with immediate effect, Pooja said- UPSC has no right to remove me
