The Supreme Court has granted pre-arrest bail to Dr. Pooja Khedkar, a former IAS trainee officer who was dismissed from service amid allegations of clearing the civil services examination using forged documents. After the High Court rejected her plea for pre-arrest bail, Khedkar moved the Supreme Court, which has now approved her request.
A bench headed by Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satishchandra Sharma emphasized that Khedkar must cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation. The Delhi Police had opposed her bail application, highlighting that she had been uncooperative and stressing the serious nature of the allegations.
Dr. Pooja Khedkar, part of the 2023 IAS batch, faces charges of fraud related to the civil services exam, including the misuse of OBC and disability reservation quotas. In June 2024, she was appointed as Assistant Collector (Under Trial) at the Pune District Collector’s office.
Following her appointment, Khedkar reportedly sought special privileges such as permission to use luxury vehicles. Images surfaced on social media showing her private Audi fitted with a beacon light and the Maharashtra government emblem, sparking suspicion given her claims of being economically disadvantaged and visually impaired.
The central government dismissed her from service after investigations confirmed the allegations. The case remains under scrutiny as the inquiry continues.
