New Delhi:
In a temporary relief, controversial former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar has received protection from arrest from the Supreme Court for allegedly lying about disabilities and using forged certificates to clear the civil services exam.
No coercive actions shall be taken against Ms Khedkar till February 14, a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra said today and issued notices to the Delhi government and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).
The court will take up the matter again on February 14.
Delhi High Court had earlier denied her bail stating that the charges against her were a “classic example of fraud committed not only against an authority but also the nation at large”. Ms Khedkar approached the top court yesterday calling the high court order “erroneous”.
Read: “Erroneous”: Denied Bail, Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar Approaches Supreme Court
The former IAS probationer had made headlines last year for allegedly availing reservation benefits meant for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories to clear the UPSC exam.
The UPSC had alleged that she appeared for the UPSC exam more than six times permitted in the generation category by changing her and her parents’ names.
Denying the charges, she had claimed she was being targeted for levelling sexual harassment charges against her senior.
Read: Centre Dismisses Controversial Officer Puja Khedkar From IAS, Say Sources
Ms Khedkar, who has a Maharashtra hospital certificate stating she had an “old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability”, cited her physical disability claim before the high court and said only her attempts in the ‘divyang’ category should be counted.
She argued that the UPSC did not find any fake document after verifying her biometric data and said that she had only changed her middle name.
Taking action in July, the UPSC revoked her selection as a junior government officer and barred her from any further attempts in the civil services exams. She was sacked by the government two months later.
