Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, May 21: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar, who is facing serious allegations of document forgery to gain eligibility for the 2022 civil services examination.

A bench comprising Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma also directed Khedkar to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation into the case, according to news agency PTI.

While the Delhi Police strongly opposed the bail plea, citing non-cooperation and the gravity of the accusations, the top court appeared unconvinced. "She is not a drug lord or a terrorist.

She has not committed 302 (murder). She is not a NDPS offender," the bench remarked orally, adding, "You should have a system or software. Complete the investigation. She has lost everything and will not get a job anywhere."

The court noted that based on the facts and circumstances, the Delhi High Court "ought to have granted bail to the petitioner" earlier.

Khedkar is accused of using forged documents to wrongly avail benefits under the OBC and disability quotas. In March this year, the apex court ruled that she could not claim multiple attempts in the civil services exam as both an ‘able candidate’ and a ‘disabled’ candidate.

Following the allegations, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) last year cancelled her provisional selection and permanently barred her from appearing in any of its future exams.

Despite the serious accusations, Khedkar has consistently denied all charges. Last month, the Supreme Court instructed her to appear before the Delhi Police on May 2 for questioning, warning of ‘drastic’ action if she failed to cooperate.

The case has drawn significant attention due to the sensitive nature of civil service eligibility and concerns around misuse of reservation quotas.