Amid claims that trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar allegedly submitted fake disability certificates to secure her job, questions are now being raised over another former bureaucrat’s selection under the disability criteria. Abhishek Singh, a 2011 batch IAS officer who resigned last year to become an actor, is under fire after his dance and gym videos went viral on social media.
Several users commented on the videos shared by Abhishek Singh, calling for greater transparency and accountability in the bureaucratic selection process. Singh had claimed to have a locomotor disability to avail concessions in the UPSC selection process.
Responding to the allegations, Mr. Singh said he is being targeted for supporting reservations. “Although I am not affected by any criticism, this is the first time I am answering my critics because my supporters asked me to. Since I started supporting reservations, anti-reservationists have targeted me. They question my caste and my job. Let me tell you, I have achieved everything through hard work and courage, not through reservation,” he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
वैसे तो मुझे किसी आलोचना से कोई फ़र्क़ नहीं पड़ता, पर ये मेरे जीवन काल में पहली बार है जब मैं अपने आलोचकों को जवाब दे रहा हूँ। और वो इसलिए क्योंकि मेरे हज़ारो समर्थक मुझसे कह रहे हैं कि आप जवाब दें नहीं तो हमारा मनोबल टूट जाएगा।अतः ये मेरा नैतिक कर्तव्य है कि मैं सच्चाई सामने… pic.twitter.com/e1rwB3H02R
— Abhishek Singh (@Abhishek_asitis) July 13, 2024
“I have done social work through my initiatives like United by Blood and the No-Shame Movement without government help. I believe that reservation in government jobs should be according to the population, and I will work towards that. If you think you have talent, stop trying for government jobs and excel in business, sports, or acting. There is no reservation there,” he added. “I move on the strength of my talent, confidence, and courage, not in anyone’s favour.”
Puja Khedkar, a 2023-batch IAS officer, had previously courted controversy for using a siren on her private Audi and demanding a separate house and car – privileges not available to junior officers. However, she now faces far more serious charges. Ms. Khedkar claimed to be visually and mentally impaired in an affidavit submitted to the UPSC but refused to undergo mandatory medical tests to confirm those claims.
The Centre has formed a one-member committee to look into the allegations against Pooja Khedkar. If found guilty, she may be dismissed and could also face criminal action for hiding facts and misrepresentation, sources said.