Big trouble for former IAS officer in training Puja Khedkar as according to UPSC she has committed…

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Delhi Police on Wednesday, August 22, rejected the interim release of former IAS probation officer Puja Khedkar, saying that she had cheated not only the commission but also the public by allegedly using a “fake disability and OBC certificate” to appear in the Civil Services Examinations (CSE) in 2021 after exhausting all attempts in 2020. Times of India reported.

Puja Khedkar is accused of cheating as she allegedly misused her authority and submitted her fake OBC (Other Backward Class) certificates for the disabled to clear the civil services entrance exam.

In their respective replies, both the Delhi Police and the UPSC demanded rejection of Khedkar's bail application on the grounds that any release of her would hamper the investigation into the “deep-rooted” conspiracy. They also stressed that the case has far-reaching implications for public confidence as well as the integrity of the civil service examination, as stated in the Times of India Report.

“She had already exhausted all the permissible attempts available to a PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) + OBC candidate i.e. 9 attempts in CSE-2020. Hence, as per CSE rules, she was not eligible to appear further in CSE-2021 and subsequent CSEs,” police said.

The report further stressed that while Khedkar claimed no connection with her father and pointed out that her mother's income was below the threshold that entitles her to the OBC non-cream layer, her family owned 12 vehicles, including a Mercedes, a BMW and a Thar SUV, and “23 properties worth crores of rupees” at various locations in Maharashtra, the newspaper reported.

The police further stated that if the accused were released, she could obstruct the ongoing investigation and the verification of her qualifications and that those involved could cover their tracks and tamper with evidence.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had granted Puja Khedar an interim injunction and directed the investigating agency not to arrest her immediately.

She had approached the Supreme Court challenging a district court's order denying her bail in the alleged fraud case.