A Delhi court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of Puja Khedkar, a former trainee IAS officer, accused of cheating and document forgery to secure her selection in the Civil Services Examination. This decision follows the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) cancellation of her candidature amid widespread controversy.

Khedkar, who was selected as an IAS officer in the 2023 Maharashtra cadre batch, is accused of forging documents, including a Physical Disability Certificate and Non-Creamy Layer Certificate, to obtain OBC reservation for the exam. She allegedly also falsified her identity to exceed the permissible age limit for the UPSC examination.

During the hearing, Khedkar argued that she was being targeted for filing a sexual harassment complaint against an officer and sought anticipatory bail to "establish her innocence." The prosecution opposed her application, asserting that she had repeatedly "cheated the system."

The Delhi Police, acting on UPSC's complaint, have charged Khedkar under sections related to forgery, cheating, the IT Act, and the Disability Act. Public prosecutor Atul Srivastava emphasized that the investigation is "at a very nascent stage" and that custodial interrogation is necessary to further pursue the case. He argued that individuals who cheat the system must be dealt with seriously and highlighted the risk of Khedkar continuing to abuse the legal process.

On Wednesday, the UPSC cancelled Khedkar's provisional candidature and barred her from all future examinations or selections. "The UPSC has examined the available records carefully and found her guilty of acting in contravention of the provisions of the CSE-2022 Rules," the commission stated.

The allegations against Khedkar surfaced after the Pune District Collector submitted a report to the Maharashtra Chief Secretary, detailing her alleged abuse of power. Khedkar demanded special privileges, including a separate cabin, residence, vehicle, and support staff—privileges not entitled to a trainee officer—and even threatened officials.

Further investigation revealed multiple allegations, including forged documents for her physical disability certificate and questionable OBC status, with her family reportedly possessing over Rs 40 crore in wealth. The central government has formed a panel to investigate these allegations alongside the police case.

Khedkar had filed a harassment complaint against Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase, who reported her alleged misconduct, leading to her transfer from Pune to Washim.