The Delhi High Court on Thursday reserved its judgment on the anticipatory bail plea of Puja Khedkar, a sacked IAS probationer accused of cheating and fraudulently availing benefits under the OBC and disability quotas in the 2022 Civil Services Examination.
The court also decided to continue her interim protection from arrest while it deliberates on the matter.
Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting information in her UPSC application to gain reservation benefits. However, she has denied all the allegations.
During the hearing, her counsel argued that she was willing to cooperate with the investigation and that, since the evidence was documentary, custodial interrogation was unnecessary.
On the other hand, Delhi police argued that custodial interrogation was essential to uncover the involvement of other individuals in the alleged conspiracy and to examine electronic evidence, including devices used by Khedkar.
Concerns were raised by the police about discrepancies in Khedkar’s name and disability certificate, which allegedly supported her claims for OBC and disability benefits.
The senior counsel representing the UPSC also opposed the bail, emphasizing the need for custodial interrogation to investigate the broader scale of the fraud and its impact on the integrity of the Civil Services Examination.
The case has sparked further controversy, as Khedkar’s counsel contended that the allegations against her were retaliatory following a sexual harassment complaint she filed against an officer. The UPSC, meanwhile, has initiated actions against her, including a criminal case for using false identity to gain multiple attempts in the civil services exam.
The Delhi Police filed an FIR against Khedkar under various provisions of the IPC, Information Technology Act, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, after the UPSC raised concerns about the integrity of the exam process.
The court will announce its decision on the anticipatory bail plea after reviewing the arguments and evidence presented.
