Delhi Court to hear anticipatory bail plea of trainee IAS Pooja Khedkar today

New Delhi [India], July 30 (ANI): Patiala House Court of Delhi will hear the anticipatory bail application of probationary IAS officer Pooja Khedkar on Tuesday.

This is in relation to an FIR registered against her for allegedly “faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond the permissible limit” in the civil services examination.

Earlier, Delhi Police registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) against Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar.

“In this matter, the Commission has earlier stated that it has also issued her a show cause notice for the cancellation of her selection and debarment from future examinations. From the investigation, it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father’s and mother’s names, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address,” the UPSC said in a press release.

Khekar was a provisionally recommended candidate for the Civil Service Examination, 2022.

The UPSC said it initiated a series of actions against her, including criminal prosecution, by filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the police authorities.

A show cause notice (SCN) has also been issued for the cancellation of Khedkar’s candidature for the Civil Services Examination 2022 and debarment from future examinations and selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination 2022.

Additionally, the Commission has categorically stated that in fulfilling its constitutional obligations, the UPSC stringently adheres to its constitutional mandate and conducts all its processes, including all examinations, with the highest possible order of due diligence without compromise.

On July 16, the Puja Khedkar was relieved from the District Training Programme of the State Government of Maharashtra.

She was recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie and her training has been put on hold.

The letter from the Additional Chief Secretary, Nitin Gadre, read, “LBSNAA Mussoorie has decided to keep your district training programme on hold and immediately recall you for further necessary action.”

The anticipatory bail plea was listed for hearing on July 27, before Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala. The court noted that an application under Section 338 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 for allowing to file an objection and assisting the Addl. PP is moved, on behalf of the complainant.

“The complainant wants to oppose the present bail application through private counsel, therefore, the permission of the court, to advance the arguments in the bail application is granted to the counsel for the complainant. The complainant is also at liberty to file the ‘objections’, if any, on record during the proceedings of bail application. Applications stand disposed of accordingly. Be put up for arguments on the bail application on July 30,” said the court.

Khedkar, a probationary IAS officer who secured an all-India rank of 821 in the UPSC exams has been accused of misusing her authority.