SC Grants Anticipatory Bail to Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar in Civil Services Fraud Case
Pune/New Delhi, 21st May 2025: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar, a former IAS trainee, who is facing allegations of submitting forged documents to qualify for the 2022 civil services examination.
A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma instructed Khedkar to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation. The Delhi Police had strongly opposed the bail plea, alleging that Khedkar had been uncooperative and underscoring the gravity of the charges.
Responding to the police’s concerns, the court questioned the severity of the offence, stating, “She is not a terrorist or a drug trafficker. She has not committed murder. The investigation must continue, but the system must ensure fairness. She has already lost her career and won’t be employed in any government service now.”
Taking into account the case details, the apex court remarked that the Delhi High Court should have granted her bail earlier.
Previously, the court had directed Khedkar to appear before Delhi Police on May 2 for questioning. While assuring that no arrest would be made at the time, the court had warned of serious consequences if she failed to cooperate.
Khedkar is accused of misusing the disability and OBC quotas to secure her place in the civil services exam. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had ruled that she could not simultaneously claim attempts under both general and disabled candidate categories.
In light of the allegations, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) revoked her provisional selection in 2023 and imposed a lifetime ban on her from all future exams conducted by the commission. An FIR was also registered by the Delhi Police in July 2024.
Khedkar has consistently denied all allegations against her.
