UPSC Cheating Case : Complete Investigation Against Ex-IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Steadfastly, Supreme Court Tells Delhi Police

While extending the interim protection granted to ex-IAS probationary officer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of submitting fake OBC & PwD certificates in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, the Court orally asked why the Delhi police was not completing the investigation when Khedkar herself has said it on affidavit that she was willing to cooperate.A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by Khedkar. In January, the Court had granted her interim protection from arrest. Today, for the Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju informed the Court that they need to have a custodial interrogation in order to investigate the "larger scam" of fake documents submitted by UPSC candidates.On this, Justice Sharma questioned what difference would it make between normal interrogation and custodial interrogation. Raju also submitted that Khedkar was entitled to nine attempts at the examination based on her OBC quota, disability, etc. However, she made more attempts by forging documents and changing names which was not permissible. They need to have a custodial interrogation in order to get the names of the middlemen involved."We have found that this is a scam which may involve persons who are involved in giving certificates, etc. We want to investigate whether hers is an isolated case or there is a larger number of cases," Raju submitted.To this, Justice Sharma responded: "If larger number of cases, you can investigate. She is not the kingpin who is issuing certificates."Justice Nagarathna also stated that the source from where Khedkar got the allegedly forged certificates needs to be revealed but that does not require her to be necessarily kept in custody.The counsel for Khedkar, opposing the allegations of forgery, stated that she was diagnosed with a low-vision disability only in 2018 and since then, she has attempted UPSC thrice. So, her attempt as a disabled candidate has not been exhausted."Since 2012, I had been attempting the UPSC examination and in 2018, for the first time, I was found to be eligible for 40% disability which entitles me to nine attempts," Counsel stated.However, the Court orally remarked that there cannot be a different number of attempts by a disabled or abled person. Justices Nagarathna and Sharma both in unison said: "No, no, total number of attempts [has to be that]. You cannot have separate attempts for abled and separate attempts for disabled.""You must have to justify your attempts," Justice Sharma said. "You must track up this investigation steadfastly," Justice Nagarathna told Raju.The Court will hear the matter on April 15.Case Details: PUJA MANORAMA DILIP KHEDKAR Vs STATE OF NCT OF DELHI|SLP(Crl) No. 357/2025

UPSC Cheating Case : Complete Investigation Against Ex-IAS Officer Puja Khedkar Steadfastly, Supreme Court Tells Delhi Police

Gursimran Kaur Bakshi

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