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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 physical and mental disabilities, and changed her name and surname, as well as forging an OBC certificate, to clear the exam.
The court said her intensions, prima facie, were to dupe authorities and observed "her steps (were) part of a larger conspiracy. Ms Khedkar, it was also observed, is "unfit for appointment".
The charges against her, which include forgery and cheating, are a "classic example of fraud committed not only an authority but also the nation at large", the court said Monday afternoon.
"Conduct of the petitioner was purely driven with a motive to dupe the complainant UPSC, or the Union Public Service Commission, and all documents allegedly forged by her were done to reap benefits of schemes meant for the (disadvantaged) groups of the society," the court said.
"The investigation in the present case, as per material available on the record, prima facie reveals the petitioner is not a fit candidate to avail benefits meant for disadvantaged groups..."
In a significant mention, the court also indicated "a high possibility that family members (of Ms Khedkar) may have colluded with unknown powerful persons in order to get the certificates...", possibly expanding the investigation to include government officials and departments.
The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, who had earlier granted Ms Khedkar temporary protection from arrest. That will likely now stand cancelled.
On August 1 a city court had rejected her plea.
In her arguments, Ms Khedkar doubled down on physical disability claims - she has a Maharashtra hospital certificate diagnosing her with an "old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability" - and asked, therefore, that only attempts in the 'divyang' category be counted.
READ | "Took Exam 12 Times, Don't Consider 7 Of Those": Puja Khedkar To Court
She also claimed only her middle name had been altered and argued "therefore, there is no truth in the allegation that there has been a major change in my name". "UPSC verified my identity through biometric data... did not find my documents (to be) fake or incorrect..." she argued.
Ms Khedkar's bail plea had been opposed both by the Delhi Police and the UPSC, which rejected the argument she be given bail on a promise to cooperate fully and because the material against her is documentary in nature, and therefore her custody isn't needed.
The police's counterargument was that Ms Khedkar's custody was needed to interrogate her and unearth the involvement of others in the commission of the offence. The cops also said relief to Ms Khedkar could 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, meanwhile, argued Ms Khedkar had committed a fraud against the public, and that her custody is needed for the cops to unearth a fraud that would have needed help from other individuals.
In early September the union government sacked Ms Khedkar, who has denied all charges against her and claimed she is being targeted since she filed a sexual harassment against her senior.
READ | Centre Dismisses Trainee Officer Puja Khedkar From IAS, Say Sources
This was a month after the UPSC cancelled her selection.
READ | UPSC Cancels Puja Khedkar's IAS Selection, Blacklists Her For Life
Ms Khedkar's troubles began in June when Pune Collector Suhas Diwase wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, flagging the trainee IAS officer's demands for perks such as a car, staff and an office that she was not entitled to during 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 selection for IAS came under the spotlight.
It was found that she had availed relaxed criteria for OBC candidates and persons with disabilities.
READ | "Regret To Inform...": Trainee IAS Officer's Disability Request Was Denied
It then came to light that her father, a former Maharashtra government officer, had property to the tune of Rs 40 crore and she did not qualify for the OBC non-creamy layer tag.
It also emerged that she had not appeared for a mandatory health check-up at a government facility to confirm her exemption for disability.
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