New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (May 21) granted anticipatory bail to former probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination.
A bench comprising Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, while noting that this is a fit case where the Delhi High Court ought to have granted Khedkar bail. directed her to cooperate in the probe.
“What is the grave crime she has committed? She is not a drug lord or a terrorist. She has not committed 302 (murder). She is not an NDPS offender. You should have a system or a software. You complete the investigation. She has lost everything and will not get a job anywhere,” the bench observed orally while hearing the matter.
Khedkar moved apex court against Delhi High Court order
Khedkar, Khedkar is accused of cheating, wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination, moved the top court against the High Court order refusing to grant her anticipatory bail in a case filed by the Delhi Police on a complaint made by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The top court earlier granted her protection from arrest in the case and extended the relief granted to her on subsequent hearings.
The top court earlier on January 15, while hearing Khedkar’s plea seeking plea for anticipatory bail, issued notice to the Delhi government and UPSC.
What did the High Court say?
The High Court on December 23 last year rejected Khedkar’s plea seeking anticipatory bail, saying a strong prima facie case was made out against her and an investigation into the matter was required to unearth the “larger conspiracy” to manipulate the system and grant of anticipatory bail would adversely impact it. The High Court also said that the UPSC examination was the most prestigious test and the present case was a classic instance of fraud committed on a constitutional body as well as the society.
Trial court earlier refused to grant Khedkar anticipatory bail
Khedkar moved the High Court against a trial court order refusing to grant her anticipatory bail. The trial court, while rejecting her plea seeking anticipatory bail, also directed the Delhi Police to widen its probe into the matter and to also investigate if Khedkar got help from anyone from inside the UPSC and also probe if the benefits under OBC and PwD quotas without entitlement have been availed by other persons also.
