In a significant legal development, a Delhi court has rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Puja Khedkar, the former trainee IAS officer entangled in a controversy over cheating and forgery. Khedkar is accused of falsifying her identity and credentials, including fabricating claims of disability and non-creamy layer OBC status to secure a position in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) through the Civil Services entrance exam.
The court, presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala, denied Khedkar’s plea, citing the severity of the allegations against her. The judge directed the Delhi Police to investigate whether other IAS aspirants may have also exploited similar quotas or availed of benefits beyond permissible limits. Additionally, the court instructed the police to explore the possibility of insider assistance from Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) officials in Khedkar’s case.
Khedkar, who has not yet been arrested, faces charges including cheating and forgery. The prosecution and UPSC counsel argued against her bail, emphasizing that Khedkar had abused the law and might continue to do so. The UPSC has already revoked Khedkar’s selection and barred her from future exams, accusing her of fraudulently exceeding the permissible number of attempts allowed for the exam.
The controversy came to light in June when it was revealed that Khedkar had misused official perks, including a siren and government stickers for her personal vehicle. Further scrutiny uncovered that she had obtained a fake medical certificate to qualify for the IAS despite having a modest rank of 841 in the entrance test.
Initially posted as an Assistant Collector in Pune, Khedkar was later transferred to Washim and subsequently recalled to a training institute in Mussoorie. Her father, Dilip Khedkar, a former Maharashtra government officer with significant property holdings, and her mother, Manorama Khedkar, who faces charges under the Arms Act, have also been implicated in legal troubles.
Last month, a panel submitted a report on Khedkar’s case to the central government. Meanwhile, Khedkar, who has largely remained silent since the controversy emerged, has accused Pune Collector Suhas Divase of harassment.
Sources By Agencies
