Overview
- The Supreme Court granted anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar, accused of forging OBC and disability certificates to gain eligibility for the 2022 UPSC exam.
- The court criticized the Delhi High Court for denying bail, stating the offences did not warrant custodial interrogation and were not of a grave nature like murder or terrorism.
- Khedkar was directed to cooperate with the Delhi Police investigation, avoid tampering with evidence, and not influence witnesses.
- The UPSC had previously canceled Khedkar's candidature, permanently barred her from future exams, and the government discharged her from the IAS.
- The case has prompted scrutiny of reservation quota rules and raised concerns about systemic vulnerabilities in the civil services examination process.