A city hospital near Pune had issued a seven percent mobility impairment certificate to Puja Khedkar, who had passed the internationally certified nurse exam, but an internal investigation found that the certificate was in accordance with regulations and there was no irregularity in its issuance, a senior official said on July 24.
The Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital, run by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) near Pune city, had issued the certificate to Khedkar in August 2022.
Khedkar is facing charges of using corrupt means, including allegedly manipulating the quota for physically challenged and other backward classes (OBCs) to pass the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams. The authenticity of various certificates she submitted to the UPSC is being investigated.
She had applied for disability certification for her left knee joint in 2022. She had visited here for a medical check-up and was assessed by multiple departments. The certificate issued on August 24, 2022, listed her knee disability as 7 percent, authorities had said earlier.
YCM Dean Dr Rajendra Wable had sought a report from the hospital’s in-house speciality orthopaedics and physiotherapy department after receiving a communication from the district collector asking the civic institution to probe whether there were any irregularities in the issuance of Khedkar’s disability certificate. The district authorities have also instructed to file a police complaint if any irregularities are found.
He also ordered that if any fraudulent activity is found to be involved, criminal proceedings will be imposed.
“We received this communication from the Pune collector’s office last week, following which we sought a report from the hospital’s orthopaedic and physiotherapy specialist department. As per the report submitted on Monday, Khedkar has been issued a seven per cent mobility impairment certificate as per rules,” Dr Wable said. “However, this certificate will not help him get any facility, either in education or in work. This certificate has no meaning whatsoever,” he said.
An investigation found no one had committed any wrongdoing, Dr Wable added.
Khedkar had earlier submitted two certificates issued by Ahmednagar District Civil Hospital for visual impairment and mental illness in 2018 and 2021 respectively to the UPSC under the benchmark person with disabilities (PwBD) category.
The 2023-entry IAS officer was serving as an assistant collector on probation in the Pune district collector’s office but was transferred from Pune to Washim earlier this month after allegations emerged that he had falsely declared disability category.
She has allegedly misused her power and privileges during her tenure in Pune by demanding perks and facilities to which she was not entitled. She is also accused of taking advantage of the UPSC’s OBC and non-creamy class quota.
Following the allegations against her, her probation period was put on hold and she was recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administrative Administration in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand.Last week, the UPSC had taken a series of actions against Khedkar, including registering a police case, for fraudulently applying for the civil services examination by falsely assuming a false identity.
The commission also issued a show-cause notice to cancel her candidacy for the Civil Services Examination 2022 and bar her from further examinations and selection.
Amid allegations that Khedkar had cheated on the OBC non-creamy tier benefit in the UPSC examination by claiming to be divorced, the central government has directed the Pune police to obtain a report on the marital status of Khedkar’s parents.
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