No Respite for Puja Khedkar: Delhi Court denies pre-arrest bail in fraud with UPSC case

A local court in Delhi has refused to grant pre-arrest or anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar, who is facing serious allegations of falsifying records and information in her appointment as the IAS trainee. The decision comes amid ongoing investigations into the allegations against her.

The court's ruling points out the seriousness of the charges, as Khedkar is accused of manipulating and providing misleading information to Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) that could have significant legal implications. The prosecution argued that granting bail could impede the investigation process.

Khedkar's legal representatives have expressed their intention to challenge the court's decision and seek further recourse. The case has garnered attention, sparking discussions about accountability and integrity in information dissemination.

The update comes after UPSC announced the cancellation of Puja Khedkar's provisional candidature for the civil services examination on July 31. In addition to this cancellation, the UPSC has imposed a ban on her participation in any future examinations conducted by the commission.

The decision comes after a thorough review of Khedkar's eligibility and the circumstances surrounding her application.

Puja Khedkar has been accused of exploiting the disability and Other Backward Class (non-creamy layer) quotas to gain eligibility for the civil services examination.

The UPSC's announcement follows a thorough investigation into Khedkar's qualifications and the context of her application.

According to an official UPSC statement, "After carefully reviewing the available records, UPSC found her guilty of violating the CSE-2022 Rules. Consequently, her provisional candidature for the CSE-2022 has been revoked, and she has been permanently barred from all future UPSC Examinations and Selections."

UPSC panel had also revealed that a Show Cause Notice (SCN) was issued to Puja Khedkar on July 18 for allegedly fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit set by examination rules by falsifying her identity. 

Following the issuance of the notice, the deadline for Khedkar to respond was extended to July 30, with the UPSC making it clear that this would be the "final opportunity" and that "no further extension in time" would be granted.