“She Hasn’t Committed Murder”: Supreme Court Grants Bail to Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar
"She Hasn't Committed Murder": Supreme Court Grants Bail to Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar, who is facing allegations of forging disability and caste certificates to clear the civil services exam.
While delivering the order, Justice BV Nagarathna questioned the basis of the Delhi High Court’s decision to deny bail, stating, “She hasn’t committed murder… this is not an NDPS offence. She will cooperate.”
The court allowed Khedkar protection from arrest, directing that if detained, she be released on a cash surety of Rs 35,000.
The bench also rejected claims by the investigating authorities that Khedkar had not cooperated with the probe, and emphasized that custodial interrogation was not necessary at this stage.
The Delhi High Court had earlier denied her bail in December 2024, citing the case as a “classic example of fraud committed not only on an authority but also on the nation.” The court also hinted at possible collusion involving Khedkar’s family members and unidentified powerful individuals.
Appearing for the Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju opposed bail, arguing that continued custody was needed to investigate the broader conspiracy behind the forged documents. However, the apex court maintained that while the origin of the forged certificates should be probed, it did not warrant custodial detention.
This is the second time the Supreme Court has criticized the High Court’s approach to the case. In January, the top court had also suggested that the circumstances merited anticipatory bail.
