Ultimately, IAS officer Pooja Khedkar has now become ex-IAS officer Pooja Khedkar. What was feared happened in view of the allegations of rigging and fraud against Pooja Khedkar. Union Public Service Commission i.e. UPSC rejected his candidature as a trainee IAS. UPSC not only rejected his candidature but also barred him from appearing in any further examination or selection. Let us tell you the complete story of fraudulent Pooja.
UPSC will change its SOP
‘Aaj Tak’ had revealed the sword of rejection of candidature hanging over Pooja Khedkar and had told that she could be removed from the post of an IAS forever and now the same has happened. How serious this case of Pooja Khedkar is can be estimated only from the fact that in view of this case of Pooja Khedkar, UPSC has decided to bring changes in its SOP i.e. Standard Operating Procedure, so that never again any UPSC So that he cannot appear in the examinations more often by deviating from the rules.
Pooja had changed the names of her parents
UPSP has said that Pooja Khedkar’s case is the only case in which UPSC could not identify her claim, because Pooja had not only changed her name but also her parents’ name. UPSC has said that from the initial investigation of the documents available with it, it has become clear that Pooja Khedkar violated the rules of Civil Services Examination i.e. CSE-2022.
Pooja did not come to present her side on 30th July
On July 18, UPSC had issued a show cause notice to Pooja Khedkar in this regard and asked how she had fraudulently changed her identity and appeared in the UPSC examinations more times than the limit? She was given time till 25th July to give her reply, however Pooja has currently asked for time till 4th August to reply. On which UPSC had given her time till 3:30 pm on July 30, so that she could present her side, but despite this, Pooja did not present her point. And then UPSC took this decision.
Now candidates of 15 years will be examined
UPSC had clearly told Pooja that it was not possible for UPSC to give her more time than 30th July. You will be surprised to know that keeping in view the case of Pooja Khedkar, UPSC examined the turn of all the candidates appearing in the examination from the year 2009 to the year 2023 i.e. in the last 15 years, so that it can be known whether anyone has cheated Pooja. Like Khedkar, she defied the rules and did not appear for the exam more than the limit of attempts, but in these 15 years, Pooja Khedkar was the only case in which a candidate violated the rules and appeared for more than the limit of attempts. And this was possible because Pooja had changed the names of her parents along with hers.
Only preliminary scrutiny of documents
UPSC has also clarified its stand regarding the documents to be submitted by the candidates. He has said that whether it is caste related certificate, disability related certificate or anything else, UPSC does only preliminary scrutiny of the documents. For example, UPSC checks whether the certificate is from a competent authority or not, whether the year and other details mentioned on it are correct or not, whether there is any overwriting, etc. Now let’s talk about the allegations of rigging against Pooja Khedkar.
Accusation No. 1- Rigging in the name of age
Occupying her senior’s room and showing her dominance by putting red and blue lights on her private vehicle cost Pooja Khedkar so much that UPSC started an investigation against her. And for this, a one-member committee was formed. And the biggest scam that this committee uncovered regarding Pooja becoming an IAS is the age fraud.
According to the UPSC report, Pooja Khedkar appeared for selection in the UPSC examination more times than the maximum limit allowed under the UPSC rules. And have taken advantage of it. The investigation revealed that he had fraudulently attempted to gain advantage by creating a fake identity by changing his name, his father’s and mother’s name, his photograph/signature, his email ID, mobile number and address, in excess of the permissible limit under the examination rules. raised.
Actually, candidates get different opportunities under different categories to appear in the UPSC exam. For example, any candidate of general category can give UPSC exam a total of six times before the age of 32 years. Under the OBC category, there is a relaxation to appear in the examination a total of 9 times till the age of 35 years. Whereas under SC/ST quota, one can appear in the UPSC examination till the age of 37 years. It is clear from this statement of UPSC that Pooja Khedkar appeared for the exam more times than the prescribed limit to clear the exam. And for this every time he took the help of a new name and new identity.
Accusation number 2- Changing even the names of parents
Now when the age related fraud had to be done, the caste also had to be changed and to change the caste, he even changed the name of his parents after holding a puja. UPSC has said in its investigation report that Pooja Khedkar changed her name, her father’s and mother’s name, her photo, signature, her e-mail ID, mobile number and address and took the UPSC exam more times than the prescribed limit. .
Accusation No. 3- Creamy life, benefits of non-creamy layer
Pooja passed the UPSC exam from the OBC non-creamy layer quota, while Pooja herself has property worth around Rs 17 to 20 crores in her name. Due to which lakhs of rupees of rent also comes. Now the criteria for non-creamy layer students appearing in the UPSC exam is that their annual income should be less than Rs 8 lakh. In fact, in the recently held Lok Sabha elections, Pooja’s father Dilip Khedkar had also jumped into the fray, although he lost the election, but the details of his assets submitted to the Election Commission are now in trouble for him as well as his daughter. Is. Since apart from himself, he had also given information about his wife and daughter in the property details, it came to light that the entire family is half a billionaire. That means Pooja does not come from the non-creamy layer.
Allegation No. 4- The report of knee disability is also false?
There is also an allegation against Pooja Khedkar of taking advantage in the IAS examination by falsely declaring herself disabled. Actually, Pune’s Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital had declared Pooja seven percent disabled. He was diagnosed with locomotor disability in his left knee. But the report of the physiotherapy department of the same hospital says that Pooja Khedkar does not have any disability. This means that now the hospital administration itself is under the scanner regarding Pooja’s disability certificate.
Allegation No. 5- Deception of sight or manipulation of sight?
As if these scams and allegations till now were less, then in the investigation of UPSC it became clear that Pooja had falsely stated that she had mental problems and her eyesight was weak in order to pass the UPSC exam. Khedkar had given a certificate for this in UPSC. According to this medical certificate, he has mental problems and his eyesight is weak. Regarding mental problem, he told that he cannot remember things. There is a regular disabled quota for such students in UPSC.
Weapon of OBC non-creamy layer, attack of disability
But here Pooja had many weapons. OBC was the weapon of non-creamy layer. And there was also the attack of disability. On the strength of both of these, she cleared the UPSC exam and became an IAS in 2022 with All India Rank 821. However, if Pooja’s total marks, including return and interview, had been the same for any general category student, then there was no question that she would have been able to pass the exam.
Pooja kept avoiding the test by making excuses
According to the rules, before posting, UPSC asked Pooja for all the proofs of disability. For this, UPSC decided to get Pooja examined in AIIMS. UPSC considers only the reports of government hospitals. UPSC wanted to confirm through this report that Pooja really has mental illness and her eyesight is weak. UPSC took appointments from doctors at AIIMS a total of six times for Pooja’s medical test. But you will be surprised to know that Pooja kept avoiding the test by making excuses every time. And this also went against Pooja in the UPSC investigation.
Test not conducted despite UPSC’s request
For the first time, UPSC asked Pooja to go to AIIMS for the test on 22 April 2022. Pooja did not go. Later he made the excuse that it was because of Corona. That’s why she didn’t want to go to the hospital. After this, for the second time on 26 May 2022, Pooja was asked to go to AIIMS. She didn’t go even then. Then on 1 July 2022, 26 August 2022, 2 September 2022 and 25 November 2022, Pooja was also asked to go to AIIMS for test. During this time, his MRI was also to be done, so that it could be found out what was the reason for his loss of vision. But Pooja did not go for the test despite repeated requests from UPSC.
Medical certificate of private hospital not considered
After some time, Pooja handed over the medical certificate of a private hospital to UPSC. But UPSC refused to take the report of the private hospital. After this, UPSC sent Pooja’s case to CAT i.e. Central Administrative Tribunal. CAT also refused to accept the medical certificate of the private hospital regarding Pooja’s disability. According to law, Pooja should not have been posted anywhere after this. But surprisingly, in June this year, Pooja was given Maharashtra cadre and sent to Pune as a trainee IAS officer as Assistant Collector. The order for this posting of Pooja was issued by DOPT i.e. Department of Personnel and Training.
Now Pooja reached court for anticipatory bail
Currently surrounded from all sides, Pooja has now knocked on the door of the court and demanded anticipatory bail. Pooja has said that she did not commit any rigging or fraud, but presented only the correct documents from her side before UPSC. Pooja has said in her bail application that she is very young in age and is not in a position to influence the police or investigating officers in this case. All the documents related to his case are already with the investigating agencies, so there is no need to confiscate anything from him. In such a situation, he should be granted bail. However, the court’s decision on Pooja’s application is yet to come.
(Aaj Tak Bureau with Piyush Mishra from Delhi)