Puja Khedkar case: SC asks Delhi Police to wrap up probe; says ‘can’t have separate attempts for abled and disabled’ candidates

Appearing for the Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said that Khedkar’s custody was needed to unravel the “larger scam”.

The law officer said that she was entitled to only nine attempts in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam based on her OBC quota, disability, etc but made more attempts by forging documents and changing names. He said that custodial interrogation was necessary to find out who the middlemen involved were etc.

“We have found that this is a scam which may involve persons who are involved in giving certificates, etc. We want to investigate whether hers is an isolated case or there is a larger number of cases,” said Raju.

Justice Sharma, however, said, “If larger number of cases, you can investigate. She is not the kingpin who is issuing certificates.”

Justice Nagarathna also doubted the need for custodial interrogation while agreeing that the origin of the fake certificates needed to be found.

Refuting the ASG’s submission, Khedkar’s counsel said the disability certificate was not a standalone and that she had to appear before an AIIMS medical board that confirmed her disability. “There was no fraud as alleged. I got the disability certificate in 2018 and my attempts to clear the UPSC exam as a disabled candidate are not exhausted,” the counsel submitted.

Khekdar’s counsel also denied that she had exhausted her attempts at the UPSC exam and said that she was diagnosed with a low-vision disability only in 2018 and had since then made only three attempts and six more remained.

“Since 2012, I had been attempting the UPSC examination and in 2018, for the first time, I was found to be eligible for 40 per cent disability which entitles me to nine attempts,” the counsel stated.

The bench, however, disagreed and said the total number of attempts has to be the same for abled and disabled candidates. “No…You cannot have separate attempts for abled and separate attempts for disabled.”

Extending the interim protection, Justice Nagarathna told the Delhi Police, “You must track up this investigation steadfastly.”

Khedkar has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing of OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services exam. She has denied all allegations. The Delhi Police have registered an FIR under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.

Khedkar contended in her plea that there was no need for custodial interrogation as the case against her is based on documentary material to which the prosecution already has access.

The Delhi High Court had earlier rejected her plea for anticipatory bail following which she approached the Supreme Court.

(With inputs from PTI)