SC grants anticipatory bail to ex-IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed the anticipatory bail plea of sacked Maharashtra cadre probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who allegedly submitted false OBC and PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) certificates and fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limits provided for the civil services examination.

A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and S.C. Sharma confirmed and made absolute its earlier interim order directing that no coercive action be taken against Khedkar in relation to the FIR lodged with the Delhi Police at the instance of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The apex court told Puja Khedkar to extend her complete cooperation with the ongoing probe and not to misuse her liberty or influence the witnesses.

On January 15, the Justice Nagarathna-led Bench had asked the Delhi Police and the UPSC to file their replies to Puja Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea as it passed an ad interim protection order in her favour.

Previously, the Delhi High Court had dismissed Khedkar’s pre-arrest bail petition and vacated its earlier order shielding her from arrest.

In its judgment delivered on December 15, 2024, a Bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh opined that, prima facie, a strong case was made out against Khedkar, adding that custodial interrogation of a person accused of an offence of such nature is required to unearth the facts.

The Delhi HC, on November 28, 2024, had reserved its decision on her anticipatory bail plea after hearing both sides. It was then clarified that till the judgment is delivered, the interim relief granted earlier on August 12, shielding Khedkar from arrest, will continue.

Before this, a Delhi court had turned down her anticipatory bail plea and asked the investigating agency to find out if anyone from inside the UPSC had helped Khedkar.

Widening the scope of the probe, Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala had asked Delhi Police to investigate if other people recommended by the UPSC have availed quota benefits without entitlement.

The Centre, on September 7, 2024, sacked Khedkar from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) with immediate effect, a month after the UPSC cancelled her selection in government service.

Khedkar has been found guilty of faking and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits. After cancelling her selection, the UPSC also barred her for life from taking the entrance exam after finding her guilty of faking her identity to take the exam multiple times.

--IANS

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