Puja Khedkar row: Court to announce order on IAS probationer's bail plea on August 1

Probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar. Pic/X

A Delhi court is likely to pronounce its order on August 1 on the anticipatory bail plea of IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused in a case of cheating and forgery, reported PTI.

After hearing arguments on the application filed by Khedkar, additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala on Wednesday reserved the order. Khedkar has claimed through her lawyer that she has an "imminent threat of arrest", said the PTI report.

During the proceeding, the prosecution as well as the counsel appearing for the UPSC claimed she has "cheated the system" and opposed the application.

"This person has abused the law and process of law. The chances of her abusing the law is still there. She is a resourceful person," said the counsel appearing for the UPSC claimed before the court.

Puja Khedkar faced a dismissal from the elite civil services as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) found that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father's & mother's name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address.

Earier this month, UPSC served the officer a show cause notice for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/ debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022.

UPSC said in a statement that it has conducted a detailed and thorough investigation in the misdemeanour of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar, a provisionally recommended candidate of the Civil Services Examination-2022.

"From this investigation it has been revealed that she fraudulently availed attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her name, her father's & mother's name, her photograph/ signature, her email ID, mobile number and address," said UPSC.

The UPSC further said it has initiated a series of actions against her, including Criminal Prosecution by filing a First Information Report (FIR) with the Police Authorities and has issued a Show Cause Notice (SCN) for cancellation of her candidature of the Civil Services Examination-2022/ debarment from future examinations/ selections, in accordance with the Rules of the Civil Services Examination-2022.

"It is categorically stated that in fulfilling its Constitutional obligations, the UPSC stringently adheres to its Constitutional mandate, and conducts all its processes, including all examinations, with the highest possible order of due diligence without any compromise. The UPSC has ensured the sanctity and integrity of all its examination processes with the utmost fairness and strict observance of Rules," the commission added.