‘Puja Khedkar Had 7% Locomotor Disability, But Benchmark To Avail Govt Benefits Is 40%’

Bhubaneswar: Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who is embroiled in a controversy for allegedly lying about mental and visual disabilities to seek qualification for the Civil Service and then misusing her power, had a locomotor disability of only 7% in the left knee, an official of Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital, told the ANI in a video interview, on Tuesday.

According to the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995, person who suffer not less than 40% of the relevant disability can avail the benefit of reservation in government jobs.

“It is true that she was issued the disability certificate on August 2022 from this hospital (Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital) based on her online application. She was diagnosed. Our experts from the Orthopaedics and Physiotherapy departments found some issues in the left knee. The benchmark disability for availing various government benefits is 40%…She was present at the time of diagnosis and she had locomotor disability of 7% in left knee joint,” said Dean of the hospital, Dr Rajendra Wable, in the ANI interview.

The official said the application can be filed online and the applicant has to get the assessment done in the earmarked hospital for a particular residential area. “Once the hospital issues the disability certificate by the particular hospital, the applicant can’t reapply. If he or she is not satisfied with the percentage of disability mentioned in the certificate, then he or she can appeal against the certification to the social welfare department and then it can be enabled for reapplication,” said Wable.

Earlier, media reports claimed that Khedkar called cops to her residence for ‘sharing information on certain matters.’

A NDTV report claimed that she reached out to the police in Maharashtra’s Washim on Monday. It has been reported by several news websites that a team of cops reached her residence late night and spent around two hours. The police team—comprised three women officers—arrived at Khedkar’s house around 11pm.

Soon after such allegations surfaced against her, Khedkar was transferred from Pune—where she was previously appointed as an Assistant Collector—to Washim. In her current posting, she is serving as a Supernumerary Assistant Collector.

In its report, the NDTV stated that sources said it was unclear what transpired in that meeting. Earlier, the accused IAS officer had said truth would prevail after she would make her submission before the single-member committee set up by the Central government to probe the charges.

The committee will re-examine documents that the 2023-batch IAS officer submitted to secure her candidature in the civil services examination and then for IAS selection.

Under scanner are two medical certificates — one claiming visual impairment and the other mental illness — to the Union Public Service Commission under the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities category.

According to India Today, Puja tried to get a third medical certificate from a hospital in Pune, but the request was rejected by the medical facility.