A Delhi court Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala Today (July 31st) reserved the order after hearing arguments on the application filed by Khedkar, who claimed through her lawyer that she has an “imminent threat of arrest”.
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A Delhi court is expected to announce its decision on the anticipatory bail plea of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar on August 1. Khedkar is accused of cheating and forgery.
Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala of the Patiala House Court reserved the order on Wednesday after hearing arguments on Khedkar’s application. Her lawyer argued that she faces an “imminent threat of arrest.”
During the proceedings, both the prosecution and the counsel representing the UPSC opposed Khedkar’s bail application, arguing that she had “cheated the system.” The UPSC’s counsel further stated,
“This person has abused the law and process of law. The chances of her abusing the law is still there. She is a resourceful person.”
Khedkar sought anticipatory bail after being booked for allegedly misusing quotas designated for Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) to clear the UPSC exams. The Delhi Police registered a case against her based on a complaint from the UPSC, which also issued her a show cause notice.
The UPSC’s complaint alleges that Khedkar fraudulently availed additional attempts by altering her name, her parents’ names, her photograph, signature, email ID, mobile number, and address. In light of these findings, the UPSC has initiated proceedings for the cancellation of her selection and future disqualification from the exams. Khedkar, who had been provisionally recommended for the Civil Services Examination, 2022, has also been subjected to criminal prosecution.
Further complicating matters, Khedkar’s father, Dilip Khedkar, a former Maharashtra government officer, faces a corruption case and has been suspended twice over related charges, including extortion. Her mother, Manorama Khedkar, a sarpanch, is also in legal trouble following the circulation of a video showing her brandishing a gun and threatening a group of people.
In response to the allegations, Khedkar was relieved from her district training programme in Maharashtra on July 16 and recalled to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie. Her training has been put on hold pending further investigation.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Puja Khedkar
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