New Delhi:
The Delhi High Court has denied anticipatory bail to former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar, who made headlines in June and August amid claims she lied about bodily and psychological disabilities, and adjusted her identify and surname, in addition to forging an OBC certificates, to clear the examination.
The courtroom mentioned her intensions, prima facie, had been to dupe authorities and noticed “her steps (had been) half of a bigger conspiracy. Ms Khedkar, it was additionally noticed, is “unfit for appointment”.
The costs in opposition to her, which embrace forgery and dishonest, are a “basic instance of fraud dedicated not solely an authority but additionally the nation at massive”, the courtroom mentioned Monday afternoon.
“Conduct of the petitioner was purely pushed with a motive to dupe the complainant UPSC, or the Union Public Service Fee, and all paperwork allegedly solid by her had been carried out to reap advantages of schemes meant for the (deprived) teams of the society,” the courtroom mentioned.
“The investigation within the current case, as per materials accessible on the file, prima facie reveals the petitioner is just not a match candidate to avail advantages meant for deprived teams…”
In a big point out, the courtroom additionally indicated “a excessive chance that members of the family (of Ms Khedkar) could have colluded with unknown highly effective individuals as a way to get the certificates…”, presumably increasing the investigation to incorporate authorities officers and departments.
The order was handed by a single-judge bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, who had earlier granted Ms Khedkar non permanent safety from arrest. That can probably now stand cancelled.
On August 1 a metropolis courtroom had rejected her plea.
In her arguments, Ms Khedkar doubled down on bodily incapacity claims – she has a Maharashtra hospital certificates diagnosing her with an “outdated ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability” – and requested, subsequently, that solely makes an attempt within the ‘divyang’ class be counted.
READ | “Took Exam 12 Times, Don’t Consider 7 Of Those”: Puja Khedkar To Court
She additionally claimed solely her center identify had been altered and argued “subsequently, there is no such thing as a reality within the allegation that there was a significant change in my identify”. “UPSC verified my identification by way of biometric knowledge… didn’t discover my paperwork (to be) faux or incorrect…” she argued.
Ms Khedkar’s bail plea had been opposed each by the Delhi Police and the UPSC, which rejected the argument she be given bail on a promise to cooperate totally and since the fabric in opposition to her is documentary in nature, and subsequently her custody is not wanted.
The police’s counterargument was that Ms Khedkar’s custody was wanted to interrogate her and unearth the involvement of others within the fee of the offence. The cops additionally mentioned reduction to Ms Khedkar might hinder its inquiry into the “deep-rooted conspiracy” behind the alleged crime.
READ | Puja Khedkar’s Fraud Not Only Against Us But Public Too: UPSC To Court
The UPSC, in the meantime, argued Ms Khedkar had dedicated a fraud in opposition to the general public, and that her custody is required for the cops to unearth a fraud that may have wanted assist from different people.
In early September the union authorities sacked Ms Khedkar, who has denied all fees in opposition to her and claimed she is being focused since she filed a sexual harassment in opposition to her senior.
READ | Centre Dismisses Trainee Officer Puja Khedkar From IAS, Say Sources
This was a month after the UPSC cancelled her choice.
READ | UPSC Cancels Puja Khedkar’s IAS Selection, Blacklists Her For Life
Ms Khedkar’s troubles started in June when Pune Collector Suhas Diwase wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, flagging the trainee IAS officer’s calls for for perks comparable to a automotive, workers and an workplace that she was not entitled to throughout her two-year probation.
READ | Trainee IAS Officer Who Used Siren On Car Claimed Mental Disability
Thereafter, Ms Khedkar was transferred to Washim.
Amid the row, her choice for IAS got here underneath the highlight.
It was discovered that she had availed relaxed standards for OBC candidates and individuals with disabilities.
READ | “Regret To Inform…”: Trainee IAS Officer’s Disability Request Was Denied
It then got here to gentle that her father, a former Maharashtra authorities officer, had property to the tune of Rs 40 crore and he or she didn’t qualify for the OBC non-creamy layer tag.
It additionally emerged that she had not appeared for a compulsory well being check-up at a authorities facility to substantiate her exemption for incapacity.
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