The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) informed the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that it would notify former Maharashtra cadre probationary IAS officer Puja Khedkar within two days regarding its decision to cancel her provisional candidature for the Civil Services Examinations (CSE)-2022.
The bench, led by Justice Jyoti Singh, was reviewing Khedkar’s plea against the UPSC’s press release, which nullified her provisional candidature and permanently barred her from all future exams and selections.
While disposing of Khedkar’s plea, the high court allowed her to seek remedy from the appropriate judicial forum.
Khedkar is accused of submitting false OBC and PwBD (Persons with Benchmark Disabilities) certificates and fraudulently exceeding the permissible attempts for the CSE by misrepresenting her identity.
The UPSC stated that its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) failed to detect the number of her attempts mainly because she had altered not only her name but also her parents’ names.
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Last week, a court rejected her anticipatory bail plea and instructed the investigating agency to determine if anyone within the UPSC had assisted Khedkar.
Expanding the investigation, Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala directed the Delhi Police to examine whether other individuals recommended by the UPSC had improperly benefited from quota provisions.
Separate investigations against Puja Khedkar are being conducted by the UPSC, Central government, Maharashtra government, and the police. Additionally, the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie has removed her from field training as a trainee IAS officer in Pune and Washim districts.
Last month, the UPSC canceled Khedkar’s provisional candidature and permanently barred her from all future examinations and selections. This action followed a thorough review of her records and the issuance of a show cause notice on July 18.
