The Supreme Court has stepped in to offer temporary relief to Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationer, in the face of serious allegations. The Court issued a notice on her anticipatory bail plea and ordered that no arrest be made until at least February 14, 2025, pending the next hearing.
Khedkar stands accused of misrepresenting her status during the 2022 Civil Services Examination (CSE), where she allegedly misused benefits intended for candidates in the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD) categories. The charges, which include falsely claiming visual impairment under the PwBD category, have led to a criminal case being registered against her.
A former UPSC Civil Services Examination candidate who was successfully recommended for the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and posted to Maharashtra, Khedkar initially claimed to be OBC during her first attempts but altered her categorization in subsequent years. In 2018, she reportedly identified as a PwBD candidate, despite lacking medical evidence to support her claims. Following multiple complaints to the UPSC, an investigation was launched, culminating in an FIR on July 19, 2024.
Additionally, Khedkar faces allegations of manipulating her number of attempts to circumvent regulations, prompting the UPSC to cancel her provisional candidature and permanently bar her from future UPSC exams.
Earlier bail pleas were rejected by both the Patiala House District Court and the Delhi High Court. Her legal battle now rests on the Supreme Court’s interim decision, offering her a temporary reprieve as the investigation continues.
