Pune: Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital Dean Dr. Rajendra Wable has exonerated doctors from his hospital who had issued a 7 per cent disability certificate to IAS Trainee Officer Puja Khedkar.

The 'clean chit' comes after the Pune District Collector Dr. Suhas Divase ordered an investigation into the certificate issuance.

The investigation team led by Dean Rajendra Wable requested clarifications from the physiotherapy and orthopedic specialists from YCM hospital, who confirmed that the certificate was issued in compliance with central government regulations.

Wable reported that no fraud was detected and clarified that verifying the ration card, used by Khedkar as an identification document, was not the hospital's responsibility. He thus dismissed the allegations against the YCM hospital.

Puja Khedkar had used address of a defunct industrial company, Thermoverita Engineering Private Limited in Talawade, Pimpri-Chinchwad, to obtain a disability certificate from Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital.

It was alleged that Khedkar applied for the certificate by presenting a fake ration card and false address proof. The old industrial property was registered under the name of Khedkar's mother, Manorama Khedkar, and not a residential location.

In August 2022, YCM Hospital issued a certificate declaring Khedkar 7 per cent disabled, signed by Dean Dr. Rajendra Wable and Assistant Health Medical Officer Dr. Abhaychandra Dadewar.

Khedkar’s attempts to get the certificate from Aundh General Hospital were rejected, but YCM Hospital granted her an examination slot.

Puja Khedkar had previously obtained a visual disability certificate in 2018 and a mental illness certificate in 2020 from a government hospital in Ahmednagar. These were consolidated into a single certificate in 2021.