New Delhi (18.07.2024): Ever since the news broke about IAS probationer Pooja Khedkar using forged document not only about her caste but also about financial status to get selected in the civil services, media enthusiasm and social media adventurism have flooded public space with similar such cases. Social media irresistibly named some genuine and eligible names without verifying the fact. Investigations have been ordered in certain cases but this has raised doubt over the selection process when the NEET examination is already under the scrutiny.

There are many such cases where the concerned person is accused of forging documents and in some other cases they are not. The controversy has triggered a demand for scrutiny and greater transparency in the selection process for bureaucrats under disability criteria. Let’s verify these cases.

Case 1

IAS probationer of 2023 batch in Maharashtra, Dr Pooja Khedkar is facing probe related to her alleged fake disability certificate. Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) has sought a detailed report from the Maharashtra government on this matter. Khedkar's appointment was initially denied on February 2, 2022. She filed an affidavit in Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) claiming that she was visually impaired and mentally ill. The court scheduled her medical test five times between July and September 2022. She failed to appear in all her examinations at AIIMS in Delhi citing some or the other reasons. She later submitted a local hospital verification certificate and mysteriously joined civil service. Her UPSC rank was 821 (PWD-5). Now, she has been recalled to Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) and her training has been put on hold.

Case 2

Asif K Yusuf (IAS: 2016: KL) was accused of using forged OBC documents. The state government has cancelled the income certificate and Other Backward Community (OBC) certificate. Kanayannur tahsildar took the action based on the order from the Revenue department. The state government decided to cancel the certificates after a preliminary inquiry by the then Ernakulam district collector S Suhas who found that Asif had forged documents pertaining to the income of his parents to get included in the reservation category. Following inquiry, the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions had instructed the state government to take action against him.

Case 3

In another such allegation was made against Anu Beniwal (IPS: 2022: MP) who was accused of using EWS benefits despite her father Sanjay Baniwal being a former IPS officer and even after she herself being selected as DANIPS officer. But the fact is that her father is not an IPS officer and when she filled up the form of UPSC she did not know if she would be selected. So, she cannot be accused of taking advantage of the economically weaker section (EWS) quota.

Case 4

The Hyderabad High Court issued notices to Gopalakrishna Ronanki (IAS: 2017: AP) to prove the disability certificate that he submitted to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) while appearing for the examination, was genuine. The high court was acting on a PIL. Ronanki is accused of submitted a fake certificate stating he has 45% disability to the UPSC while applying for the civil services exam.

Case 5

Allegations are afoot on social media about disability certificate of Praful Desai (IAS: 2019: TG), Karimnagar additional collector, who claimed reservation in UPSC examination. Pictures have been shared on Twitter wherein this officer is cycling, playing tennis, rafting and horse riding with sardonic comments that he has fully recovered after rigorous training at LBSNAA. Praful secured AIR 532 under EWS and orthopedically handicapped category.

Case 6

Abhishek Singh (IAS: 2011: UP), who resigned last year to become an actor, is under fire on social media. The former IAS officer has come under scrutiny after his dance and gym videos went viral on social media, raising questions over his claim of disability. His wife Durga Shakti Nagpal too is 2011 batch IAS officer of UP cadre as is posted as DM of one of the UP districts.

Case 7

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a case against Navneet Kumar (IRS: 2008) for forging documents to appear in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam as he had crossed the permissible age-limit to appear for the examination. Interestingly, it was found that Navneet Kumar's original name is Rajesh Kumar Sharma but he changed his identity and obtained certificates in the name of Navneet to make himself eligible. Rajesh Kumar is from West Champaran, Bihar.

Case 8

In another case Aysha Makrani, daughter of Salimmuddin Makrani, had forged her documents and claimed to have secured 184th rank. She appeared in the preliminary examination held in June 2022, where she failed to qualify in one paper and scored far fewer marks than the cut-off marks in another. The commission noted that since she failed the preliminary stage itself, her claim of securing 184th rank in the final result stood false.

Case 9

In another case of Tushar Kumar, one from Haryana’s Rewari and the other from Bhagalpur, Bihar, the commission clarified that the candidate hailing from Bihar is genuine and has secured the 44th rank. The other candidate from Haryana had also failed to clear the preliminary stage of the exam held in June 2022.