The Supreme Court on Tuesday told former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) trainee officer Pooja Khedkar that he could not get different opportunities to pass the exam as a “general candidate” and a “disabled candidate”.
Khedkar is accused of cheating in the Civil Services Examination to be conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSAC) and incorrectly availing OBC (Other Backward Classes) and Divyanga Kota.
A bench of Justice BV Nagratna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma set the next hearing on Khedkar’s petition on 15 April, as his lawyer sought time to file a reply on the Delhi government’s affidavit. The apex court extended the protection from the arrest provided to Khedkar on 15 January till April 15.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who appeared on behalf of the Delhi government, said that Khedkar needs to be interrogated to identify the middlemen involved in the alleged case of preparing fake disabled certificates for UPSC candidates. Advocate Bina Madhavan, who appeared on behalf of Khedkar, said that he has written to the investigating agency and informed about his desire to cooperate in the investigation.
Justice Sharma told ASG Raju, “If you want to identify middlemen, he (Khedkar) is ready to cooperate in the investigation.” On this Raju argued, “We want to detain them, otherwise he will not reveal the identity of the middlemen involved in it.”
The ASG said that Khedkar was given nine opportunities to pass UPSC exam in regular syllabus, but he got additional opportunities for the exam by preparing fake disabilities certificates.
He said that Khedkar was taking the UPSC examination since 2012 and then he made a fake disabled certificate to get some additional opportunities to succeed in the examination. Refuting Raju’s argument, Madhavan said that Khedkar had to appear before the Medical Board of AIIMS for a disability certificate, which confirmed his disability.
Khedkar’s lawyer said, “As alleged, no fraud was committed. I got a disabled certificate in 2018 and my opportunities to pass the UPSC exam as a disabled candidate have not ended.
Madhavan argued that she could place such material on records to confirm her claim. Raju argued that not only his disability certificate is fake, but his details in the form are also wrong and misleading, so he urged the court to give a close date for hearing the case.
The bench said that she would hear the case on 15 April. Khedkar is accused of giving incorrect information in his application for UPSC Civil Services Examination of 2022 to get the benefit of reservation. However, he has denied all the allegations against him.
