Delhi court defers IAS Puja Khedkar's anticipatory bail plea to Wednesday

UPSC has initiated proceedings against IAS trainee Puja Khedkar (currently on probation) for the cancellation of her selection and future disqualification from the exams

The Patiala House Court will convene on Wednesday to deliberate the anticipatory bail plea of Puja Khedkar, a probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who faces allegations of cheating and forgery. Khedkar is accused of falsifying her identity to exceed the permissible limit for attempts in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations.

The hearing, initially scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed by Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala following a request from the public prosecutor (PP). The PP informed the court that a new special public prosecutor (SPP) had been appointed to the case, necessitating additional time for preparation. Consequently, the case has been rescheduled for 10 am on Wednesday.

Khedkar sought anticipatory bail after being booked for allegedly misusing quotas designated for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) to clear the UPSC exams. The Delhi Police registered a case against her based on a complaint from the UPSC, which also issued her a show cause notice.

The UPSC’s complaint alleges that Khedkar fraudulently availed additional attempts by altering her name, her parents’ names, her photograph, signature, email ID, mobile number, and address. In light of these findings, the UPSC has initiated proceedings for the cancellation of her selection and future disqualification from the exams. Khedkar, who had been provisionally recommended for the Civil Services Examination, 2022, has also been subjected to criminal prosecution.

Further complicating matters, Khedkar’s father, Dilip Khedkar, a former Maharashtra government officer, faces a corruption case and has been suspended twice over related charges, including extortion. Her mother, Manorama Khedkar, a sarpanch, is also in legal trouble following the circulation of a video showing her brandishing a gun and threatening a group of people.

In response to the allegations, Khedkar was relieved from her district training programme in Maharashtra on July 16 and recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. Her training has been put on hold pending further investigation.

The court’s decision to allow the complainant to oppose the bail application through a private counsel highlights the seriousness of the charges. The complainant has been granted permission to file objections and assist the additional public prosecutor during the proceedings.

The next court session will address these objections and arguments regarding Khedkar’s anticipatory bail application.