A Controversial Path to Power
Puja Khedkar, a former IAS trainee, has become the center of a significant scandal involving extensive identity fraud and forgery to secure her position in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). Accused of manipulating multiple identities to gain an unfair advantage, Khedkar’s actions have led to severe consequences, including her permanent debarment from Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams.
Between 2012 and 2023, Khedkar allegedly falsified her identity at least seven times to circumvent the UPSC’s rules on examination attempts and quotas. This elaborate scheme involved changing her name, altering parental details, and falsifying disabilities to exploit reserved category benefits.
The Timeline of Deception
2012 Application
Name: Khedkar Puja Deeliprao
Father’s Name: Khedkar Deeliprao Kondiba
Mother’s Name: Khedkar Manorama Deeliprao
PwBD Status: Not mentioned
Khedkar’s first fraudulent attempt in 2012 involved creating a new identity for herself and her parents. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, a wealthy former Maharashtra government official, and her mother’s name were altered to mask her true identity.
2018 Application
Name: Puja Deelip Khedkar
Father’s Name: Khedkar Deelip Kondiba
Mother’s Name: Budhwant Manorama Jagannath
PwBD Status: Blindness and low vision
In 2018, Khedkar re-applied with a different name and falsely claimed to have disabilities under the PwBD category. She adjusted her parental details once again, this time introducing a new variation for her mother’s name.
2019 Application
Name: Khedkar Puja Deeliprao
Father’s Name: Khedkar Deeliprao K
Mother’s Name: Budhwant Manorama J
PwBD Status: Continued with blindness and low vision
Khedkar’s 2019 application saw her reverting to a previous name variation while continuing to exploit the PwBD category for an unfair advantage.
2020 Application
Name: Unchanged
Father’s Name: Unchanged
Mother’s Name: Unchanged
PwBD Status: Low vision
For the 2020 exam, she maintained the same name but once again used low vision to qualify under the PwBD category, continuing her pattern of deception.
2021 Application
Name: Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar
Father’s Name: Dilip Khedkar
Mother’s Name: Manorama Budhwant
PwBD Status: Multiple disabilities (visual impairment and mental illness)
By 2021, Khedkar significantly altered her identity, including her name and the nature of her claimed disabilities. She exploited multiple categories to enhance her chances of success.
2022 Application
Name: Unchanged
Father’s Name: Dilip K Khedkar
Mother’s Name: Manorama J Budhwant
PwBD Status: Multiple disabilities
In 2022, while retaining her name, Khedkar changed her parents’ details once again, maintaining her claims of multiple disabilities to continue benefiting from reserved quotas.
2023 Application
Name: Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar
Father’s Name: Dilip Khedkar
Mother’s Name: Manorma Budhwant
PwBD Status: Multiple disabilities
In her final fraudulent attempt in 2023, Khedkar managed to secure an all-India rank of 841 by using a combination of previous fake identities. This successful attempt allowed her to enter the IAS, but it was short-lived.
Legal Consequences and Fallout
Khedkar’s actions came under intense scrutiny when the Delhi Police’s crime branch discovered the fraudulent activities. In July, the police booked Khedkar for misusing disability and Other Backward Class (OBC) quotas. The UPSC responded decisively by cancelling her provisional candidature and permanently barring her from future examinations. The Commission’s review of candidates from 2009 to 2023 highlighted Khedkar as the only individual to exceed the permitted number of attempts.
On July 31, the Supreme Court rejected Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea, stressing the need for custodial interrogation to uncover further conspiracies and involvement of other parties. Reports suggest that Khedkar may have fled to Dubai to evade arrest. Previously, Khedkar was a probationary assistant collector at the Pune district collectorate but was transferred to Washim amid allegations of misrepresentation.
Implications for the System
Khedkar’s case has exposed significant flaws in the examination system and the lengths to which individuals can go to manipulate it. The ongoing investigation aims to address these systemic issues and prevent future occurrences of such fraud. The case underscores the need for rigorous checks and balances in the examination process to ensure that the integrity of the IAS selection process is maintained.
(With inputs from agencies)
