Court Denies Bail to Ex-IAS Probationer Accused of Quota Misuse

A Delhi court refused anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of misusing OBC and PwD quota benefits in the UPSC exams. The court directed the Delhi Police to investigate further, especially if anyone within the UPSC assisted her. Khedkar's candidature has been canceled and she is barred from future exams.

In a significant ruling, a Delhi court on Thursday denied anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of manipulating the OBC and PwD quota benefits in the UPSC exams.

Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala emphasized the need for a thorough investigation by Delhi Police to determine if there were any internal collaborators from the UPSC in facilitating Khedkar's actions. The judge's order also expanded the scope of the probe to include others who may have similarly exploited these quotas without proper entitlement.

The UPSC had already taken disciplinary action against Khedkar by canceling her candidature and barring her from future examinations. During the court proceedings, both the prosecution and UPSC's counsel strongly opposed Khedkar's bail application, highlighting her potential to further abuse legal processes due to her resourcefulness.