Delhi HC denies anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar in UPSC cheating case

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar who has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing of OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination.

Ruling that a strong prima facie case was made out against Khedkar, Justice Chandra Dhari Singh said investigation was required to unearth the “larger conspiracy” to manipulate the system, which would be adversely impacted if the accused was granted pre-arrest bail.

“Anticipatory bail plea is dismissed. Interim protection from arrest is vacated,” Justice Singh said while ruling on Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea.

The civil services examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), the judge said, was the most prestigious test and this case was a classic instance of fraud committed on a constitutional body as well as society.

“In the present case, it prima facie established that the conduct of the petitioner is driven by motive to reap benefit for the disadvantaged group.

“Investigation in the present case prima facie reveals that the petitioner was not a fit candidate to avail the benefit…and she has been availing the same by forging documents prepared with the (help of) individuals,” the court said.

“Interrogation of an accused in an offence of such a nature is required in order to unearth the fraud committed with the help of a large number of people. In the opinion of this court, the steps taken by the petitioner were part of a larger conspiracy to manipulate the system,” it added.

The court observed that in the instant case, since the family members of the accused held “high positions”, there was a possibility of collusion.

Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022, to get reservation benefits.

The counsel for the Delhi Police as well as the complainant, the UPSC, opposed the plea for pre-arrest bail.

The UPSC was represented by senior advocate Naresh Kaushik and lawyer Vardhman Kaushik.

Khedkar has denied all allegations against her.

Her lawyer had argued that she was willing to join and cooperate in the investigation and since all the material was documentary in nature, her custody was not required.

The lawyer for Delhi Police, however, claimed that Khedkar’s custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the involvement of others in the commission of the offence.

The UPSC also opposed the plea for anticipatory bail and said Khedkar committed a fraud against the Commission and the public, and her custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the “magnitude of the fraud” that could not have been done without the help of other individuals.

The UPSC earlier initiated a series of actions against Khedkar in July, including lodging a criminal case, for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking her identity.

The Delhi Police registered an FIR under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act and Right of Persons with Disabilities Act.

The high court had granted Khedkar interim protection from arrest while issuing notice on her anticipatory bail plea on August 12, and the same was extended from time to time.