’Fraud with country’: Delhi HC denies Puja Khedkar’s pre-arrest bail in UPSC case

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, December 23, 2024: Delhi High Court on Monday denied anticipatory bail to former probationer IAS officer Puja Khedkar who is accused of “misrepresenting and falsifying facts" in her UPSC application.

The High Court also vacated the interim protection from arrest granted to her.

Justice Chandra Dhari Singh said that prima facie, a strong case is made out against her.

What did the Court say?

The court observed that Khedkar is not a fit candidate to avail the benefits meant for disadvantaged groups that she has been availing by forging her documents.

The High Court said that her moves were part of a large conspiracy to manipulate the system. The court also observed that the investigation will be affected if she is granted an anticipatory bail.

The court also noted that UPSC is one of the most prestigious examinations in the world and stressed that she had committed fraud not just with the constitutional body but also country at large.

‘Will Cooperate’: Puja Khedkar

Khedkar said that she would cooperate in the investigation and claimed that her custody was not needed as all evidence is documentary in form.

The Delhi Police had stressed that her custodial interrogation was necessary to ascertain the involvement of others in the case.

The UPSC, which is the complainant in the case, had described Khedkar as a “mastermind".

On July 31 this year, the UPSC had cancelled her candidature and imposed a lifetime ban from taking all future examinations and selections of the Commission.