delhi-hc-denies-anticipatory-bail-to-puja-khedkar

The Delhi High Court has dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former IAS officer Puja Khedkar and vacated the interim protection previously granted to her.

 

Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, while delivering the judgement, highlighted the significance of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) as a prestigious institution and noted that the case at hand represented a serious fraud against both the organisation and society.

 

The court underlined the necessity of Khedkar’s interrogation to uncover the extent of the conspiracy.

 

Observing her actions as a clear attempt to deceive the system, the court stated that she was not entitled to the benefits she had allegedly secured using forged documents. It further noted that her parents held high-ranking positions, raising suspicions of collusion with influential individuals.

 

Khedkar is accused of misusing the OBC and disability quota benefits during the civil services examination. According to Delhi Police, she falsified her identity to gain additional attempts beyond the permissible limit.

 

The police, through Special Public Prosecutor Advocate Sanjeev Bhandari, argued that custodial interrogation was essential to investigate the broader conspiracy.

 

Despite her assurance through her advocate Bina Madhvan of cooperating with the investigation, the court deemed her custodial questioning necessary.

 

The UPSC, which had initially filed a complaint leading to the FIR against Khedkar, alleged that she provided false affidavits and manipulated judicial processes.

 

The commission withdrew its perjury applications, stating it would file a separate, independent application to address these concerns. It accused Khedkar of making untrue claims, such as alleging that her biometrics were collected during the personality test, a practice the UPSC clarified has never been followed.

 

The commission also refuted Khedkar’s earlier assertion that she was not notified of her candidature cancellation. It stated that the communication had been sent to her registered email address, making her claim in court false.

 

The court issued a notice to Khedkar in response to this alleged misrepresentation.

 

Khedkar faces criminal charges, including cheating and misrepresentation, as the investigation continues to uncover the full scope of the matter. Delhi Police suggested that a larger conspiracy involving influential individuals could emerge as the inquiry progresses.