Did Ex-IAS Trainee Puja Khedkar Flee To Dubai?
A day after the Delhi court dismissed the anticipatory bail application of Puja Khedkar, several media reports claimed that the IAS trainee has fled to Dubai fearing arrest.
As per the report of News 18, Khedkar had gone missing and her mobile phone was switched off, which raised concerns of her fleeing the country. However, no immigration record was found regarding Kedkar’s travel.
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Khedkar has been under scrutiny following complaints about alleged fake certificates and misconduct during her appointment as a probationary IAS officer in Pune.
The speculation emerged after Delhi’s Patiala House Court on Thursday denied anticipatory bail to Khedkar, which stated that the allegations raised against her are serious and “require a thorough investigation”.
“Custodial interrogation of the accused is required to unearth the whole conspiracy and to establish the involvement of the other persons involved in the conspiracy,” Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala said.
Khedkar approached the court through her lawyer, saying she faced an “immediate threat of arrest”.
Her bail plea was rejected a day after the UPSC canceled her provisional candidature and permanently debarred her from taking all the exams or selections in the future.
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While passing the order, Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala instructed the investigation agency to expand its probe. The Delhi police have also been instructed to determine whether UPSC officials provided assistance to Puja Khedkar in her alleged fraudulent activities.
The UPSC also filed a case against Khedkar for allegedly fraudulently availing the benefits of quota by faking her identity to take the civil services examination beyond the permissible number of attempts.
