Delhi Police has told the High Court that former IAS officer Pooja Khedkar had submitted two certificates to show various types of disabilities and its investigation revealed that one of these documents may be ‘fake’ and ‘fabricated’. Delhi Police made this argument in response to Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea. Khedkar is accused of fraud and wrongly obtaining benefits of OBC and disability quota.
The agency said Khedkar has submitted two disability certificates for the Civil Services Examination-2022 and Civil Services Examination-2023 respectively.
The status report said that after verification, the ‘Issuing Medical Authority, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra’, however, claimed that the certificate for ‘locomotor’ disability, hearing impairment and low vision was not issued as per the ‘Civil Surgeon Office records’ and ‘there is a high possibility of the Disability Certificate being fake and fabricated.
‘Locomotor disability’ or locomotor disability is a disability in which a person’s legs do not work properly. The next hearing in this case will be on September 5.
Khedkar had allegedly submitted false information in his application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to avail reservation benefits. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had on July 31 cancelled his candidature and barred him from appearing in future exams. Khedkar has denied all the allegations.
On August 29, the Delhi High Court had extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Khedkar till September 5. Both the UPSC and the Delhi Police have sought dismissal of his anticipatory bail plea.
The UPSC had last month initiated several actions against Khedkar, including filing a criminal case against him for appearing in the civil services exam using a fake identity.
The Delhi Police has registered the FIR under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act and Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act. On August 1, a sessions court here had refused to grant anticipatory bail to Khedkar, saying there were serious allegations against him which “require thorough investigation”.