HIGHLIGHTS:
- Pooja Khedkar’s anticipatory bail hearing postponed in Delhi High Court.
- Confirmed that she attempted to appear for the Civil Services exam for the 10th time using fraudulent means.
- Charges to be filed under forgery, fraud, and the Disability Act.
The anticipatory bail plea of Pooja Khedkar, accused of passing the Civil Services exam using forged documents, was postponed in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday. The next hearing is scheduled for August 29. The Delhi Police Crime Branch, which is investigating the case, is closely monitoring the court’s decision. The police will decide whether to arrest her for interrogation based on the court’s ruling, as her arrest is currently stayed by the court.
Key Documents Collected from 15 Departments
The Crime Branch has collected crucial documents related to Pooja Khedkar from around 15 departments in Maharashtra. These documents include both genuine and forged records. The investigation has revealed that after failing to pass the Civil Services exam in her ninth attempt under the OBC quota, Pooja created forged documents to reappear as a new candidate under the same quota. To do this, she altered her documents to include her parents’ names between her own. Although she managed to pass the exam on her first attempt with these fake credentials, it was actually her tenth attempt.
What Did the Crime Branch Officials Say?
A senior Crime Branch official stated that enough evidence has been gathered against Pooja Khedkar to file charges without needing to detain her for questioning. A team of skilled police officers is working on filing the chargesheet. Soon, Pooja will be charged with forgery, fraud, violations under the IT Act, and the Disability Act.
Claims of Disability
The police revealed that in 2018-2019, Pooja claimed to be mentally and visually disabled. However, in 2022, she altered her claim to include hearing and visual disabilities. Additionally, she falsely stated that her parents were divorced and living separately, while investigations found that no such divorce occurred. Pooja lives with her parents and owns several vehicles and flats. Due to the misrepresentation of electronic evidence, charges under the IT Act have also been applied.
Background of the Case
On July 16, the Delhi Police Crime Branch filed an FIR against former IAS officer Pooja Khedkar under various sections, including forgery, fraud, the IT Act, and the Disability Act, following a complaint from the UPSC. Subsequently, a month-long investigation in Maharashtra involved gathering all relevant documents from various departments, including the DM, SDM, police, tehsildar, and a medical college from where Pooja completed her MBBS.
Statements of Officials Recorded
Statements of officials from several departments have been recorded and will be included as witnesses in the chargesheet by the Crime Branch. Doctors from AIIMS, who conducted Pooja’s medical examination, will also have their statements recorded. Recently, UPSC canceled Pooja’s candidacy and barred her from appearing in future exams.
The Full Case
It’s noteworthy that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had conducted an in-depth investigation into the misconduct of Civil Services Examination-2022 candidate Pooja Manorama Dilip Khedkar. The investigation revealed that Pooja altered her name, her parents’ names, photograph, signature, email ID, mobile number, and address to create a fake identity, thereby violating examination rules and fraudulently benefiting from the system.
