FORMER IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination, has moved the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail. A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma is scheduled to hear the plea on January 15. Khedkar has challenged the December 23 2024 Delhi High Court order which refused to grant her anticipatory bail.

 

The High Court said a strong prima facie case was made out against Khedkar and an investigation was required to unearth the “larger conspiracy” to manipulate the system and a pre-arrest bail would adversely impact it. “Anticipatory bail plea is dismissed. Interim protection from arrest is vacated,” the High Court said. Khedkar was granted an interim protection from arrest when the High Court issued notice on her anticipatory bail plea on August 12, 2024, and it was extended from time to time.