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In a significant legal development, the Patiala House Court has denied anticipatory bail to former IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, who was recently dismissed from her position. The court's decision adds to the ongoing scrutiny of Khedkar's case, directing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to investigate whether other candidates may have similarly used fraudulent certificates to gain undue reservation benefits.
In a significant legal development, the Patiala House Court has denied anticipatory bail to former IAS officer Pooja Khedkar, who was recently dismissed from her position. The court’s decision adds to the ongoing scrutiny of Khedkar’s case, directing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to investigate whether other candidates may have similarly used fraudulent certificates to gain undue reservation benefits. Additionally, the Delhi Police has been instructed to probe if any UPSC officials were complicit in her fraudulent activities.
Khedkar’s troubles began when the UPSC announced on July 31 that her provisional candidature had been cancelled. The UPSC’s action was based on evidence that Khedkar had violated the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022 rules. Specifically, she was found guilty of circumventing the permissible number of attempts by altering her name and her parents’ names. This case is notable for being one of the few instances in the past 15 years where such an infraction went undetected by the UPSC’s standard operating procedures.
The court’s rejection of Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea underscores the severity of the charges against her. During the court proceedings, the UPSC’s counsel argued that Khedkar had not only abused the law but also continued to pose a risk of further legal breaches due to her resourcefulness. The court’s directive includes a thorough investigation by the UPSC and a review of the role played by any internal personnel who may have facilitated her actions.
In response to this case, the UPSC has committed to strengthening its standard operating procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The commission had issued a show-cause notice to Khedkar on July 18 for exceeding the attempt limit fraudulently. Despite extensions granted for her response, Khedkar failed to meet the final deadline on July 30.
Furthermore, a police case has been filed against Khedkar for fraudulently exceeding her attempts by falsifying her identity. The UPSC has stressed that this case appears to be isolated, with a thorough review of over 15,000 candidates’ records from the past 15 years revealing no other similar violations. Addressing concerns about false certificates, the UPSC has clarified that it conducts only preliminary scrutiny of the certificates and relies on the issuing authorities for their authenticity.
The UPSC, which conducts the civil services exam annually in three stages—preliminary, main, and interview—aims to select officers for various prestigious positions including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). This incident has highlighted the need for enhanced vigilance and robust procedures within the examination process.
