Ex-IAS Probationer Puja Khedkar Denies Allegations, Calls Out ‘Misinformation’ Amid Ongoing Investigation

Pune/New Delhi, 3rd May 2025: Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, embroiled in a controversy over alleged misuse of quotas and document discrepancies, broke her silence on Friday, dismissing the allegations as misleading and baseless. Speaking to reporters before her appearance at the Delhi Police Crime Branch, Khedkar said she has been misrepresented in the media.

Khedkar, accompanied by her father Dilip Khedkar, appeared before the Crime Branch to record her statement in connection with the case registered against her. The statement was taken following directions from the Supreme Court. Officials confirmed she was questioned for nearly eight hours.

“I’ve always been willing to assist the investigation. I even emailed the Crime Branch to express my readiness to give a statement. That’s why I am here today,” she told reporters outside the police office.

Responding to allegations that she changed her name to increase the number of attempts available for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam, Khedkar said, “Is it now a crime to include your mother’s name as a middle name? Even the Chief Minister of Maharashtra has done that. Using ‘Rao’ in names is common in our region. My father being called Dilip and also Diliprao does not mean we are using different identities. These matters are being twisted deliberately.”

Khedkar has been accused of using false certificates to claim benefits under the Other Backward Class (OBC) and physically disabled (divyang) categories during her selection. However, she rejected the claims, stating that all documentation went through multiple levels of verification.

“Any certificate I submitted was scrutinized by a 12-member medical board over a period of three years. AIIMS, a premier national institute, certified my condition. Neither the UPSC nor the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) ever declared my certificates fake. Yet, selective information is being fed to the media to malign me,” she said.

Her father, Dilip Khedkar, criticized the handling of the case, saying the process lacked fairness. “Before filing a police complaint, the UPSC should have allowed my daughter an opportunity to explain her side.
Denying her a hearing goes against the basic principles of natural justice. Even the DoPT’s decision to terminate her from service after the FIR appears legally questionable,” he said.

The case against Puja Khedkar includes allegations of falsification of documents, misuse of reserved categories, and exceeding the permissible number of examination attempts — all of which she continues to deny.