'Large conspiracy to manipulate system': Delhi HC denies anticipatory bail to dismissed IAS probationer Puja Khedkar

The Delhi High Court on Monday denied anticipatory bail to dismissed IAS probationer Puja Khedkar. Khedkar is accused of "misrepresenting and falsifying facts" in her application for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, 2022. 

Delhi HC Justice Chandra Dhari Singh denied anticipatory bail to Khedkar, stating that the steps taken by Khedkar were a part of a larger conspiracy to manipulate the system. Justice Singh also said that the tactics employed by Khedkar raise several questions.

"Its classical example of fraud constituted not only constitution body but society at large. So, interrogation is required to unearth the conspiracy. It appears that a strong case is made out against petitioner," the High Court bench was quoted as saying by India Today. 

The court added that the probe would be affected if she was granted anticipatory bail. Moreover, the court also vacated the interim protection from arrest that it granted to Khedkar in August this year.

The court further observed that prima facie, Khedkar is not a suitable candidate to avail the benefits meant for disadvantaged groups that she has been availing by falsifying documents. 

"Other than owning luxury cars, her parents are influential, it’s possible her parents could get the certificates produced by Petitioner."  

The dismissed IAS probationer challenged the trial court order before the Delhi High Court which granted her interim protection in August. 

Former trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar been accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits to clear the civil services exam.

Khedkar joined the Pune Collectorate as part of her probationary training in June this year. On July 31, the UPSC cancelled Khedkar's candidature and debarred her permanently from all the future examinations and selections of the UPSC.

As per the central body, she was found guilty of "acting in contravention of the provisions of the Civil Services Examination-2022 Rules."

According to a public statement by the UPSC, a detailed and thorough investigation into the "misdemeanour" of Khedkar revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by changing her name.