The Supreme Court Today (March 18) rejected Puja Khedkar’s attempt to use both disability and general category benefits in the UPSC exam, extending her protection from arrest till April 15. Authorities allege she faked documents to gain extra attempts.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday told former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of cheating and wrongfully using the OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination, that she cannot take separate attempts for the test as both an “able candidate” and a “disabled candidate.“
The bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma scheduled Khedkar’s plea for further hearing on April 15, as her lawyer requested time to respond to an affidavit filed by the Delhi government.
The Supreme Court also extended Khedkar’s protection from arrest, which was granted on January 15, until April 15.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, representing the Delhi government, stated that custodial interrogation of Khedkar was necessary to identify the middlemen involved in an alleged scam related to creating fake disability certificates for UPSC aspirants.
Advocate Bina Madhavan, appearing for Khedkar, informed the court that they had already written to the investigation agency, expressing her willingness to cooperate in the probe.
Justice Sharma then told Raju,
“If you want to ascertain the identities of the middlemen, she is willing to cooperate in the investigation.”
However, Raju argued,
“We want to take her into custody otherwise she will not disclose the identities of the middlemen involved. This is a scam.”
The ASG explained that Khedkar was originally allowed nine attempts to clear the UPSC exam, but after allegedly obtaining a fake disability certificate, she took additional chances to pass the test.
He further added that Khedkar had been appearing for the UPSC exams since 2012 and that she obtained a fake disability certificate to get more attempts at cracking the test.
Denying these allegations, Madhavan stated that the disability certificate was not fake and that Khedkar had been assessed by an AIIMS medical board, which had confirmed her disability.
“There was no fraud as alleged. I got the disability certificate in 2018 and my attempts to clear the UPSC exam as a disabled candidate are not exhausted,”
-Khedkar’s counsel argued.
The Supreme Court bench then told her,
“It cannot be the case that you can avail separate attempts as an able candidate and as a disabled candidate.”
Madhavan stated that she had relevant documents to support her claim and was willing to present them before the court.
Raju, however, contended that not only was her disability certificate fake, but she had also provided false and misleading details in her application forms. He requested an early hearing to resolve the matter.
The Supreme Court confirmed that the matter would be taken up on April 15.
Previously, on January 15, the court had granted Khedkar protection from arrest and had sought responses from the Delhi government and the UPSC regarding her plea for anticipatory bail.
Khedkar’s lawyer had earlier stated that the Delhi High Court had made strong observations against her while rejecting her anticipatory bail plea.
She has been accused of providing false information in her application for the 2022 UPSC civil services examination to claim reservation benefits.
Khedkar has denied all allegations against her.
While rejecting her anticipatory bail plea, the Delhi High Court found a strong prima facie case against her and emphasized that an investigation was required to uncover the “larger conspiracy” behind manipulating the system. The court stated that granting relief to her could negatively impact the probe.
“Anticipatory bail plea is dismissed. Interim protection from arrest is vacated,”
-the high court said in its order dated December 23, last year.
Initially, Khedkar was granted interim protection from arrest when the high court issued a notice on her anticipatory bail plea on August 12, 2024. This protection was extended multiple times.
The Delhi High Court noted that the UPSC exam was one of the most prestigious examinations in the country and called this case a
“classic instance of fraud committed against a constitutional body and society.”
Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea was opposed by both the Delhi Police counsel and the complainant, the UPSC, in the high court.
Her lawyer argued that since all the materials related to the case were documentary in nature, her custody was not necessary. She also assured the court that Khedkar was willing to cooperate with the investigation. However, the Delhi Police insisted that custodial interrogation was needed to determine the involvement of others in the case.
The UPSC also opposed the bail plea and accused Khedkar of committing fraud against the commission and the public. They argued that her custodial interrogation was essential to determine the “magnitude” of the fraud, which they claimed could not have been executed without external assistance.
The UPSC has taken several actions against Khedkar, including filing a criminal case for allegedly faking her identity to gain extra attempts in the civil services examination. The Delhi Police has also lodged an FIR against her under various charges.
CASE TITLE:
PUJA MANORAMA DILIP KHEDKAR Vs STATE OF NCT OF DELHI
SLP(Crl) No. 357/2025.
PREVIOUSLY IN APEX COURT
The Supreme Court on 14th Feb extended its interim order until March 17, 2025, offering protection from arrest to former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar. She is accused of falsifying documents to gain eligibility for the 2022 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination.
In the latest hearing, the Supreme Court provided more time to the Delhi police to respond to Khedkar’s appeal, which challenges the Delhi High Court’s decision to reject her anticipatory bail. The Court also directed Khedkar to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation.
Khedkar’s lawyer, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, stated that the police were not calling her for questioning, and she was ready to appear before them. The Supreme Court then asked the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) to submit a response within three weeks.
ALSO READ: IAS Exam Controversy|| Delhi HC Issues Notice to Puja Khedkar in UPSC Perjury Charge
On January 15, 2025, the Supreme Court had issued a notice to the Delhi government and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) regarding Khedkar’s plea for anticipatory bail.
A bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma issued the order in response to Khedkar’s plea, which challenged the Delhi High Court’s decision to deny her anticipatory bail.
The Court ordered,
“Issue notice to the respondent. Serve it to the State (NCT of Delhi). Counsel accepts notice for the State. Returnable on 14 February 2025. Until the next hearing date, no coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioner,”
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed her plea for anticipatory bail. The High Court found there was a strong prima facie case against Khedkar and stressed the need for a thorough investigation to uncover a “larger conspiracy” to manipulate the system.
The High Court added,
“Anticipatory bail plea is dismissed. Interim protection from arrest is vacated.”
Khedkar had initially been granted interim protection from arrest on August 12, 2024, when the High Court issued a notice on her anticipatory bail plea. This interim protection has been extended several times.
ALSO READ: IAS Exam Controversy| Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar Moves Delhi HC Against UPSC’s Decision
Puja Khedkar faces serious accusations of submitting false information in her UPSC exam application in 2022 to gain reservation benefits. She has denied all the charges against her. In response to the allegations, UPSC took action against Khedkar in July 2024.
This included filing a criminal case for allegedly misrepresenting her identity to appear for the UPSC exams. The Delhi Police later registered a First Information Report (FIR) under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Information Technology Act, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
CASE TITLE:
PUJA MANORAMA DILIP KHEDKAR Vs STATE OF NCT OF DELHI
SLP(Crl) No. 357/2025.
Would You Like Assistance In Drafting A Legal Notice Or Complaint?
CLICK HERE
Click Here to Read Our Reports on CJI Sanjeev Khanna
FOLLOW US ON YOUTUBE FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES
