The Delhi High Court, on Thursday, reserved its judgement on the anticipatory bail plea of former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of falsifying and misrepresenting facts in her application for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022.
Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, who heard the arguments from both sides, stated, “Heard both sides. Judgement reserved.” The court extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Khedkar in August until the final verdict.
Khedkar is accused of “misusing” quotas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories to clear the CSE. An FIR was filed against her by the UPSC, which also barred her permanently from appearing in future examinations. On July 31, the Commission cancelled her candidature, alleging that she violated the Civil Services Examination-2022 Rules.
Arguments in Court
Khedkar argued that she would cooperate with the investigation and that her custody was unnecessary, as the evidence against her was documentary. However, the Delhi Police opposed the plea, asserting that her custodial interrogation was crucial to uncovering the involvement of other individuals in the alleged fraud.
The UPSC described Khedkar as the “mastermind” of the scheme, alleging that her actions reflected significant influence. The Commission stated that Khedkar “fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit” by manipulating her identity, including changing her name, photograph, and personal details.
Previous Denial of Bail
On August 1, a trial court denied anticipatory bail to Khedkar, directing investigators to broaden the scope of their probe to identify other candidates who may have similarly exploited quotas. The court urged the agency to investigate instances where candidates benefitted unlawfully under OBC or PwBD categories.
Background
Puja Khedkar, who joined the Pune Collectorate as part of her probationary training in June, allegedly fabricated her identity to misuse quota benefits. The UPSC’s statement revealed that her actions included altering the names of her parents, signature, email, mobile number, and address to secure an undeserved position.
The case, which has raised concerns about the integrity of the examination system, awaits the High Court’s verdict on her bail plea.
