Delhi HC denies anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar

The Delhi High Court (HC) dismissed the anticipatory bail plea submitted by former probationer officer of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) Puja Khedkar today, Monday, December 23.

Khedkar is accused of "misrepresenting and falsifying facts" in her application for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022.

Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, who presided over the matter refused Khedkar anticipatory bail, stating that the case against her is strong, LiveLaw reports.

Noting that the UPSC is one of the most prestigious exams in the world, the court stated that this was a textbook case of fraud that Khedkar committed, not just against the constitutional body but also against society as a whole.

In her bail appeal, Khedkar promised to cooperate with the police and claimed that her custody was not required as all the evidence against her was documentary in nature.

The Delhi Police argued that Khedkar's custodial interrogation was essential to uncover the involvement of other individuals in the case.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the complainant in the matter, referred to Khedkar as the “mastermind,” asserting that her entry into the system demonstrated the extent of her influence and how she used it.

Tthe UPSC cancelled Khedkar's candidature on July 31, and imposed a permanent ban on her participation in all future examinations and selections conducted by the commission.

According to the UPSC, she was found “guilty of violating the provisions of the Civil Services Examination-2022 Rules.”