“At the request of counsel for the petitioner, list on October 4th. Interim order to continue,” Justice Singh said. Khedkar has been charged with misrepresenting details regarding her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022, to obtain reservation advantages. However, she has refuted every allegation.
On 26th September, Khedkar’s lawyer requested additional time from the court to prepare a response to the UPSC’s charge that she committed fraud by giving a false statement about her anticipatory release plea. She claimed her “debarment” was the result of her sexual harassment complaint against an officer.
While the Delhi Police lawyer claimed that the investigating agency is ‘never under media pressure,’ UPSC’s senior counsel stated that Khekdar became famous because of her own doing. Both the UPSC and the Delhi Police have asked that her pre-arrest bail application be dismissed. On August 12th, the High Court granted Khedkar interim protection from arrest while issuing notice on her anticipatory bail application, which has been prolonged from time to time.
The Delhi Police has asserted that any relief for Khedkar would jeopardize its investigation into the deep-rooted conspiracy and that the case has broader repercussions for public trust and the integrity of the civil services examination.
Khedkar has been granted relief for 5 times till date
Notably, this is not the first time that the High Court has granted Khedkar protection from arrest. Earlier on August 12th, the Delhi High Court granted interim protection to Khedkar from arrest till August 21st. The court then based on the plea filed by Khedkar sought a response from the concerned authorities at UPSC and Delhi Police. Then on the next hearing, 21st August, the court again extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Khedkar till August 29th, even when the same was opposed by the Delhi police and UPSC.
Banana Republic Pro Max 🍌🇮🇳
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 26, 2024
For the FIFTH TIME, Delhi High Court extends protection from arrest for sacked IAS officer Puja Khedkar. This time till Oct 4.
This comes 3 weeks after she was SACKED by the Govt & Delhi Police telling court there’s a larger conspiracy. pic.twitter.com/tGkHoF5Ycn
During the hearing on 29th August, Puja Khedkar told the Delhi High Court that following her selection and appointment, the UPSC lacked the authority to disqualify her, and that any action against her would have to be conducted by the Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
In a four-page response, Puja Khedkar denied the UPSC’s claims of forged documents and fraud, claiming that she did not change her first and surname from 2012 to 2022, nor modify or misrepresent her name to the commission. Following this, the court again extended interim protection from arrest granted to former probationary Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers, this time till September 5th.
On September 5th, Puja Khedkar told the Delhi High Court that she was willing to undergo a medical examination at AIIMS after the police claimed that one of her disability certificates was faked or fabricated. “I am willing to get myself medically examined. First, they say I changed my name. Now they say disability is questionable. I am willing to go to AIIMS,” she claimed.
The court then listed the matter for further hearing on September 26th, noting that the police have sought for 10 more days for further investigation. The court also extended the interim protection of arrest granted to Khedkar till then. Today is the fifth time when the Court has extended the interim protection from arrest provided to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar.
Amid this, on September 7th, Khedkar was dismissed from services by the UPSC. Khedkar’s probation was terminated after UPSC received reports from Nashik’s divisional commissioner Pravin Gedam. The UPSC terminated Khedkar from service on grounds of forging documents and wilfully appearing for exams despite surpassing her efforts. Khedkar then filed a challenge to this dismissal in the Delhi High Court.
The Delhi Police has filed a FIR under the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
What is Puja Khedkar charged for?
The entire incident came to the fore on 8th July this year when a Pune collector Dr Suhas Diwase wrote to the chief secretary Sujata Saini, complaining against the trainee IAS officer Khedkar. As per the complaint, the accused IAS officer demanded an official car with a VIP number plate, red-blue beacon light, and an official chamber with adequate staff at her call.
As per the administrative rules, these facilities are not available for any probationer. However, Khedkar’s father Diliprao, a retired administrative officer had been reportedly pressurizing the District Collector’s Office for fulfilling his daughter’s demands. He also threatened the officers saying that they would face dire consequences if his daughter’s demands were not fulfilled.
Khedkar also used a private vehicle and applied a VIP number plate on it. She encroached on the office of Additional Collector Ajay More in his absence. She put up her sign on his chamber door in his absence and claimed the space as her office chamber. The woman had been harassing the officers since April this year, but the matter came to light only in July. Khedkar was then transferred to Washim.
Later on 13th July, her father, Dilip Khedkar commented on the matter and stated that his daughter had done nothing wrong. “Is it wrong for a woman to ask for a place to sit? The matter is sub judice, and a committee has been appointed to investigate it. We should all wait for the final verdict. I believe someone is deliberately trying to make this an issue,” he said. This is after it was also alleged that she utilized Other Backward Class (OBC) benefits and disability concessions to secure her position in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
It is worth noting that an FIR was also registered against the mother of the trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar for allegedly threatening a farmer with a pistol. The Police lodged an FIR based on a farmer’s complaint after an old video went viral in which Puja Khedkar’s mother, Manorama Khedkar was seen pointing a pistol at farmers. Based on the viral video, Manorama Khedkar was booked and arrested under sections 323, 504, 506, 143, 144, 147, 148, and 149 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and various sections of the Indian Arms Act. The Police had also booked Puja’s father, Dilip Khedkar, and five others in the case.
Watch Manorama Khedkar the mother of IAS officer #PoojaKhedkar, accompanied by bouncers threatening farmers while brandishing a pistol.
— Be the Change👊🏻 aka Jennifer Fernandes (@nandtara) July 12, 2024
There are allegations that her husband, Dilip Khedkar, acquired crores while working a government job.
In the process of purchasing land he… pic.twitter.com/Vp73oMlNHC
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) then took cognizance of the event and said that Khedkar had attempted fraud by fabricating her name in an application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022, in order to obtain reservations.
The commission filed a criminal prosecution against her for attempting the civil service exam by misrepresenting her background. In response to the complaint, the Delhi Police filed an FIR under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, IT Act, and Right of Persons with Disabilities Act. The Delhi Police told the high court that Khedkar produced two disability certificates to demonstrate several infirmities and that one of the documents may have been “forged” and “fabricated”.
Despite presenting several proofs and records, Khedkar has constantly denied all the allegations posed against her and the court has been extending her the relief from arrest. The Commission and the court need to take strict action against the woman who has attempted to cause insult to the dignity of the crucial examination process that produces capable officers for enhanced administration of the nation.
At present, the Deli Police has filed an FIR under relevant sections of the law.
Further investigations and proceedings in the case are underway.
