Former-IAS Probationer Pooja Khedkar Denied Bail, Faces FIR for Cheating and Forge
Srinagar, Aug 01,: In a significant development, a Delhi court has denied anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Pooja Khedkar.
This comes a day after the UPSC terminated her services. The Delhi Police have lodged an FIR against Khedkar, accusing her of cheating, forgery, and conspiracy.
Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala reserved the order after hearing arguments on Khedkar’s application, which claimed that she has an “imminent threat of arrest.”
The UPSC filed a case against Khedkar for allegedly fraudulently availing the benefits of quota by faking her identity to take the civil services examination beyond the permissible number of attempts.
Senior Advocate Naresh Kaushik, appearing for the UPSC, said, “She secured a public employment unlawfully. It would not only be an offence against the UPSC but the entire society.”
What Puja Khedkar said in court?
During the proceedings, Khedkar said she wanted the anticipatory bail “to establish her innocence”, news agency PTI reported. She also told the court that she was being targeted for filing a sexual harassment complaint against an officer.
“I [Khedkar] filed a complaint for sexual harassment and that is why all this is being done against me. This is all happening on behest of the collector against whom I have levelled sexual harassment complaint. The person asked me to come and sit in a private room. I said I am a qualified IAS and I will not do that. I am pressing for anticipatory bail to establish my innocence,” advocate Bina Mahadevan, appearing for Khedkar, said.
Mahadevan said Khedkar didn’t suppress any information, and that she has wrongly mentioned the number of attempt. “I wrote five but I should have said 12. It is because I availed those attempts under a different quota. Whether it was done in good faith or not is to be inquired,” she said.
“IAS Academy Mussoorie has called me (Khedkar), Pune Commissioner has called me. DoPT has given me a notice as well. I need anticipatory bail to defend myself before all these forums,” Khedkar’s counsel said.
Why did police seek Khedkar’s custodial interrogation?
Meanwhile, the prosecution opposed the bail application, claiming that Khedkar took advantage of the loopholes and changed her name. “We are at a very nascent stage. We need her custodial interrogation,” public prosecutor Atul Srivastava said.
He argued that if she gets anticipatory bail, “she will not cooperate.” (KDC)