Puja Khedkar was appointed as an Assistant Collector to Maharashtra’s Pune district (File).
New Delhi:
Former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar on Friday urged the Delhi Excessive Court docket to ignore seven of her 12 acknowledged makes an attempt to cross the uber-competitive Civil Providers entrance examination.
Particularly, Ms Khedkar doubled down on bodily incapacity claims – she has a Maharashtra hospital certificates diagnosing her with an “previous ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability” – and requested, subsequently, that solely makes an attempt within the ‘divyang‘ class be counted.
She has claimed a 47 per cent incapacity as in opposition to the federal government’s 40 per cent benchmark.
The time period ‘divyang‘ is the federal government’s time period for individuals with disabilities, though many have rejected the label, arguing it units them other than society and demanding, as an alternative, give attention to guaranteeing equal therapy and rights, in addition to accessibility to public areas and providers.
In an affidavit filed with the court docket this morning she requested that her seven makes an attempt as a common class pupil be disregarded. Ought to this be accepted, it can cut back the variety of confirmed makes an attempt to 5 (every of which she handed). That is 4 lower than the higher limits for individuals with disabilities, and one lower than that allowed for common class candidates.
Puja Khedkar made headlines after claims she lied about bodily and psychological disabilities, and adjusted her title and surname, in addition to forging an OBC certificates, to clear the examination.
READ | “Somebody Doubted…”: Physician On Trainee Officer’s Incapacity Declare
Ms Khedkar’s violations had been uncovered in June after it emerged she had secured perks past her pay grade, corresponding to a siren and a ‘Authorities of Maharashtra’ sticker for her personal car.
The Delhi Excessive Court docket is listening to an anticipatory bail plea by Ms Khedkar, who faces felony prices, together with forgery and dishonest. On August 1 a metropolis court docket had rejected her plea.
READ | Former Trainee IAS Puja Khedkar’s Anticipatory Bail Plea Rejected
The decrease court docket dismissed Ms Khedkar’s claims about “imminent menace of arrest”.
Days later she moved the Excessive Court docket and the police, additionally requested to submit a contemporary response to her plea – had been instructed to not arrest her until a closing verdict. That safety is in place until Thursday.
The police have sought dismissal of her plea on grounds that any aid will hinder its investigation right into a “deep-rooted conspiracy”. The cops additionally argued that giving Ms Khedkar bail may harm public notion of the integrity of the civil providers examination and the UPSC.
The UPSC, in flip, has instructed the Delhi Excessive Court docket Ms Khedkar dedicated a “fraud”.
In the meantime, Ms Khedkar has additionally rejected a declare by the UPSC – which is the federal government physique that conducts the examination – that she modified her title and surname for one of many 12 makes an attempt, in an try to bypass guidelines limiting probabilities per candidate, relying on sure elements.
READ | “Modified Her Title…”: UPSC On How Puja Khedkar Cheated
She claimed solely her center title had been altered and argued “subsequently, there is no such thing as a reality within the allegation that there was a serious change in my title”. “UPSC verified my id by biometric information… didn’t discover my paperwork (to be) pretend or incorrect…” she argued.
READ | Puja Khedkar Claims UPSC Does not Have Energy To Disqualify Her
She has additionally claimed the UPSC, which has revoked her choice – lacks the authority to take action since she had already been chosen and appointed as a probationary officer. Solely the union authorities, particularly the Division of Personnel and Coaching, can take motion, she mentioned.
Final month the UPSC mentioned Ms Khedkar had modified her title, and that of her dad and mom, to safe one other crack on the examination. The central physique mentioned she had been served a discover for “fraudulently availing makes an attempt, past permissible restrict… by faking her id”.
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