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“A UPSC exam is considered as one of the most prestigious examinations in the world and a large number of people who appear in such examination work hard to secure a place in the All India Service Exam. It is a known fact that lakhs of students appear for the said exam and put in a number of years in order to succeed”, the court highlighted.
The bench further opined that “The tactics adopted by the petitioner not only penalized the very deserving candidates but also raises questions about the ability of the agency conducting such exam”.
The Delhi High Court, on Monday, dismissed the bail application of IAS trainee Puja Khedkar who faced allegations of misusing quotas reserved for OBC and PwBD categories to pass the UPSC Examination.
The bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh held, “The present incident is a classic example of fraud committed against a constitutional body but also against the society at large and necessary interrogation is warranted to reveal all the aspects attributed and related to the said fraud committed against the nation”.
The court further highlighted that “The conduct of petitioner has been fully driven with the motive to give the complainant UPSC all the documents to reap benefits out of the schemes produced for disadvantage groups of the society”.
The court further noted that “The investigation in the present case, per material available on record, prima facie reveals that the petitioner is not a fit candidate to avail the benefits meant for the disadvantageous group and she has been availing the same by forging the documents prepared by unknown individuals in the government or outside”.
The court, outlining Puja’s ability to hinder the investigation, emphasized that “Apart from owning luxury cars and various properties, the family of the petitioner has held a high position in the State, therefore there is a high possibility that her family members have colluded with unknown powerful persons in order to get the requisite certificate produced by certificates”.
Citing a Supreme Court case of CBI v Anil Sharma, the court held “Interrogation of the person accused in offence of such nature is required to unearth the fraud committed with the help of a large number of people. The court is of the opinion that the steps taken by the petitioner were part of a larger conspiracy to manipulate the system”.
Therefore, the court deemed it appropriate to dismiss the bail application and to revoke the interim protection granted to Puja
Background:
Khedkar was an IAS trainee accused of “misrepresenting information” in her application for the UPSC (Union Public Services Commission) Civil Services Examination, 2022. She was accused of misusing quotas under OBC and PwD (Persons with Disabilities) to clear the examination, as well as changing her and her parents’ names on official documents so as to gain more attempts at the exam. An FIR as well as a show cause notice to cancel her selection were filed against her.
Initially, she had applied for anticipatory bail in the Patiala House district court. However, the court reserved its judgment on this plea, after hearing the submissions of both parties. The verdict was to be pronounced on August 1, 2024. However, the trial court then rejected her bail plea, following which she approached the Delhi High Court.
The bench comprising Justice Subramoniam Prasad deferred the plea to August 29, due to the absence of a response from the Delhi Police. Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra also requested additional time to review the UPSC’s response, which opposed her plea.
The court had at the time noted the lack of a substantial discussion in the trial court’s order, directing the police to not arrest Khedkar till the next date of hearing.
Case Title: Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar v The State (BAIL APPLN. 2828/2024)
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