Supreme Court Questions Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar Over UPSC Exam Quota Misuse, Extends Protection from Arrest
New Delhi, 19th March 2025: The Supreme Court on Tuesday expressed reservations over former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar’s attempts to avail benefits under both the general and disability quotas in the civil services examination, stating that she could not use different categories for separate attempts.
A bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma scheduled the next hearing for April 15, allowing Khedkar time to respond to an affidavit submitted by the Delhi government. The court also extended its earlier protection from arrest, granted on January 15, until the next hearing.
Delhi Government Pushes for Custodial Interrogation
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, representing the Delhi government, emphasized the need for Khedkar’s custodial interrogation. “We need to ascertain the identities of middlemen involved in fabricating fake disability certificates,” he argued.
Justice Sharma noted that Khedkar had expressed willingness to cooperate, stating, “If you want to identify the middlemen, she has already agreed to cooperate in the investigation.” However, Raju insisted on custodial questioning, asserting, “Without taking her into custody, we won’t be able to uncover the entire network behind this scam.”
Allegations of Exam Attempt Manipulation
The ASG further contended that Khedkar had been attempting the UPSC civil services exam since 2012. Initially appearing under the general category, she later procured a disability certificate in 2018 to gain additional attempts. “This is not a simple case of misrepresentation—it’s a deliberate misuse of the system to secure extra chances at clearing the exam,” Raju claimed.
However, Khedkar’s lawyer, Bina Madhavan, refuted these claims, stating that her client’s disability certificate was issued after an evaluation by an AIIMS medical board. “There was no fraudulent intent. The certificate was granted by a recognized authority, and she still has remaining attempts under the disability category,” Madhavan argued.
The bench, however, raised concerns about her multiple attempts across different categories. “You cannot be allowed separate attempts as both an able candidate and a disabled candidate,” the court remarked.
Next Hearing on April 15
Madhavan sought to present additional documents supporting Khedkar’s claims, but Raju countered that not only was her disability certificate questionable, but her application forms also contained misleading information. “This is a matter of systemic manipulation, and an early hearing is necessary,” he urged.
The Supreme Court maintained its decision to hear the case on April 15.
Earlier, the court had provided Khedkar protection from arrest while seeking responses from the Delhi government and the UPSC on her anticipatory bail plea. The Delhi High Court had previously dismissed her bail application, citing a prima facie case of fraud and a need for further investigation into a potential larger conspiracy to exploit reservation benefits in civil service exams.
Khedkar has denied all allegations, maintaining that she followed due procedure in her application process. The upcoming hearing is expected to further scrutinize the validity of her claims and the extent of the alleged scam.
