Puja Khedkar case: UPSC says 'fake' IAS to receive cancellation copy within two days

NEW DELHI: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Wednesday informed the Delhi High Court that it would communicate its order quashing the candidature of former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) probationary officer Puja Khedkar within two days. Taking note of the UPSC’s submissions, Justice Jyoti Singh ruled on Khedkar’s plea challenging the Commission’s press release stating that her candidature had been rejected.

“The petition is dismissed granting the petitioner liberty to approach the appropriate forum in accordance with law. It is clear that this court has neither considered nor expressed any opinion on the merits of the matter and the filing of this petition will not prevent the appropriate forum from deciding the merits of the matter,” the court said.

The court asked Khedkar to provide his address to the UPSC and said the order would be provided to him physically and electronically. It also said that for further appeals, such as challenging the cancellation order, Khedkar will have to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). During the hearing, senior advocate Indira Jaising, who appeared for Khedkar, said the cancellation order was never communicated to her and she came to know about it only through the press release.

Asked by the court why she did not approach the CAT to challenge its decision, Khedkar’s counsel said that since she had not received the official order from the UPSC, the petition was filed in the High Court challenging the press release. Senior advocate Naresh Kaushik, appearing for the UPSC, said the order would be communicated by the Commission to Khedkar within two days on her email address as well as her last known address.

On July 31, the UPSC cancelled Khedkar’s candidature and debarred her from future exams. She was accused of “distorting information” in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022. Khedkar was also accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits.

On August 1, a trial court had denied him anticipatory bail, saying the allegations were serious and “require thorough investigation.”