Trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar, facing scrutiny over alleged irregularities in her civil service selection, was supposed to report to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie yesterday, but she did not show up. 

A criminal case has been registered against her in Delhi last week for “misrepresenting and falsifying facts” in her civil service application. The 34-year-old is accused of manipulating her identity to take the UPSC exam multiple times. 

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has issued a show-cause notice to cancel her selection and potentially bar her from future exams. The Delhi Police have filed a criminal case against Khedkar, and an investigation is ongoing. 

मसूरी नहीं पहुंची तो कहां गई पूजा खेडकर? जानिए, कहां लापता है पूजा खेडकर?#IASPoojaKhedkar | @Nidhijourno pic.twitter.com/7JlHzI2DTE
— Zee News (@ZeeNews) July 24, 2024

Earlier, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie suspended Puja Khedkar’s training following serious allegations against her. She was instructed to return to the academy by July 23, but reportedly did not do so, citing personal reasons. 

Puja Khedkar, a probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 2023 batch, is accused of abusing her authority by demanding perks and facilities she was not entitled to during her training at the Pune district collectorate.