Pune (Maharashtra): The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has sealed ThermoVerita, a company linked to Manorama Khedkar, the mother of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, due to an alleged tax default of Rs 2.77 lakh.

This action comes amidst controversy surrounding probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who used the company's address to obtain a disability certificate from YCM Hospital, Pimpri Chinchwad.

"The property tax for 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 for Thermoverita India Pvt. Ltd has been pending for the last two years. Additionally, the current year's outstanding dues are also unpaid," said Shekhar Singh, Commissioner of PCMC.

"As their dues remained unpaid in 2023, we initially issued notices and subsequently disconnected their water supply as a graded response. Since the dues have been outstanding for the last two years, our next step was to seal the property.""

Singh added that the total outstanding amount for the last two years is Rs 1.96 lakh, and including the current year's dues, the total comes to Rs 2.77 lakh.

In a related development, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) announced on Friday that it has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against IAS probationer Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar for allegedly "faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond permissible limit". 

The Commission has issued her a show-cause notice for the cancellation of her selection and debarment from future examinations.

According to a UPSC press release, the investigation revealed that Khedkar fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity through changes to her name, her parents' names, her photograph or signature, her email ID, mobile number, and address.

Khedkar was a provisionally recommended candidate for the Civil Services Examination, 2022.

ANI