May 23, 2025

The Supreme Court in India has granted anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationer accused of using fake OBC & PwD certificates in the civil services examination. The court questioned the severity of the charges against her, highlighting that she is not involved in serious crimes like murder or drug offenses. Puja Khedkar had applied for pre-arrest bail due to the threat of being arrested. The bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma granted her relief under Section 482 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The court emphasized that given the nature of the offenses and the circumstances of the case, Puja Khedkar should have been granted anticipatory bail by the High Court. In case of arrest, she has been instructed to provide cash sureties of Rs 25,000 along with two live sureties. Additionally, she has been warned not to misuse her liberty or tamper with any evidence. Puja Khedkar expressed relief at the court's decision, stating that the order validates her stance and refutes the negative narrative against her in the media.

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Tags: Supreme court, Anticipatory bail, Ias probationer, Puja khedkar, Fake certificates,