The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former IAS officer Puja Khedkar, who has been accused of cheating and fraudulently availing benefits under the OBC and disability quotas to qualify UPSC exam.  

The bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the former IAS officer, noting that the UPSC is considered a prestigious examination. The court further observed that the incident in question constitutes a fraud not just against an organization, but against society as a whole. It stressed the need for interrogation to uncover the conspiracy involved.

As a result, the court dismissed the plea and revoked the interim protection granted to Khedkar.

The court observed that, prima facie, the actions in this case seemed intended to deceive the organization. It noted that the individual was not a legitimate candidate for the benefits and had been acquiring them through forged documents.

The court also pointed out that the father and mother held prominent positions, raising the possibility of collusion with influential figures.

On the other hand, Khedkar thought advocate Bina Madhvan said that she is willing to cooperate with the investigation and submitted that custodial interrogation is not necessary. 

However, Delhi Police, represented by Special Public Prosecutor Advocate Sanjeev Bhandari, informed the court that the investigation is ongoing and custodial interrogation may be necessary to uncover the larger conspiracy, noting that certain aspects still need examination.

Meanwhile, the UPSC withdrew its perjury applications, stating that it would file a separate, independent application.

The UPSC accused Khedkar of attempting to manipulate the judicial system, alleging that Puja Khedkar committed perjury by submitting a false affidavit. It further stated that the intention behind making such a blatantly false statement appeared to be an attempt to secure favorable orders based on the falsehood.

(With ANI inputs)

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