The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday cancelled the provisional candidature of controversial IAS officer Pooja Khedkar and also debarred her from all future examinations or selections.
The commission had issued a show cause notice to Pooja on July 18 for “fraudulently” availing attempts beyond the permissible limit provided for in the examination rules by faking her identity.
The trainee officer was asked to submit her response by July 25, but she requested time till August 5 to gather all the necessary documents.
The UPSC said it granted the officer a "final opportunity" to submit her response by 3:30 pm on July 30 but she "failed to submit her explanation within the prescribed time".
"The UPSC has examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules," the commission said in its statement.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch has booked Pooja for misusing the disability and Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) quotas to secure her candidature in the civil services exam.
A case under section 420 (cheating), 464 (making a document in the name of a fictitious person), 465 (forgery) and 471 (passing off a forged document as genuine) of IPC and under sections 89 and 91 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act and 66D of the Information Technology Act was registered against Khedkar.
The Pune Policehas already launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorised use of a red-blue beacon light and 'Maharashtra Government' sticker on the private Audi car of Pooja.
Pooja was transferred from Pune to Washim earlier this month following allegations that the officer had made repeated requests for a private cabin, car, living quarters, and a peon even before joining duty on June 3.
As the controversy raged, her training in Maharashtra was put on hold and she was recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie.
