Puja Khedkar: No Anticipatory Bail, Delhi Court Widens Scope of Investigation

Moneylife Digital Team 01 August 2024

Economy & Nation

While directing Delhi police to widen the scope of the probe and investigate whether any other persons would have availed benefits of quotas under other backward class (OBC) and persons with disabilities (PwD) without entitlement, the Patiala House court denied anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar, the now debarred trainee from the Indian Administrative Services (IAS).

In an order, additional sessions judge (ASJ) Devender Kumar Jangala Delhi police should also find out if officials from union public service commission (UPSC) had helped her. "The investigation agency needs to widen the scope of the investigation. The agency is directed is directed to find out the candidates recommended (by the UPSC) in the recent past who have availed benefits beyond permissible age limit under OBC quota and those who availed PwD benefits despite not being entitled to it."

The Delhi police lodged the case against Ms Khedkar in response to a complaint filed by UPSC.

On Wednesday, after finding Ms Khedkar guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the Civil Services Examination (CSE)-2022 Rules, UPSC cancelled her provisional candidature for CSE-2022. She is also debarred permanently from all future examinations or selections of UPSC.

UPSC had issued a show-cause notice to Ms Khedkar and asked her to submit her response by 3.30pm on 30 July 2024. She was also told categorically that it was the last and final opportunity for her and that no further extension in time would be allowed.

"It was also conveyed to her in unequivocal terms that if no response was received by the date above and time, the UPSC would take further action without entertaining any further reference from her. Despite an extension in time allowed to her, she failed to submit her explanation within the prescribed time," UPSC says in a release. (Read: Puja Khedkar No IAS: UPSC Cancels Provisional Candidature, Bars Her from All Future Exams)

Comments

User

Meenal Mamdani

6 months ago

If only Ms Khedkar had behaved in a low key manner, none of this would have come to light.
Her arrogance and sense of entitlement brought about this fall from grace.
I wonder how many others like her have managed to get appointed to these elite govt services by keeping a low profile until they had served a few years before throwing their weight around and becoming conspicuous.