The Delhi High Court has denied anticipatory bail to former IAS trainee officer Puja Khedkar, who made headlines in June and August amid claims she lied about physical and mental disabilities, and changed her name and surname, as well as forging an OBC certificate, to clear the exam.

The court said her intensions, prima facie, were to dupe authorities and observed “her steps (were) part of a larger conspiracy. Ms Khedkar, it was also observed, is “unfit for appointment”.

The charges against her, which include forgery and cheating, are a “classic example of fraud committed not only an authority but also the nation at large”, the court said Monday afternoon.

“Conduct of the petitioner was purely driven with a motive to dupe the complainant UPSC, or the Union Public Service Commission, and all documents allegedly forged by her were done to reap benefits of schemes meant for the (disadvantaged) groups of the society,” the court said.

“The investigation in the present case, as per material available on the record, prima facie reveals the petitioner is not a fit candidate to avail benefits meant for disadvantaged groups…”

In a significant mention, the court also indicated “a high possibility that family members (of Ms Khedkar) may have colluded with unknown powerful persons in order to get the certificates…”, possibly expanding the investigation to include government officials and departments.

The order was passed by a single-judge bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, who had earlier granted Ms Khedkar temporary protection from arrest. That will likely now stand cancelled.

On August 1 a city court had rejected her plea.

In her arguments, Ms Khedkar doubled down on physical disability claims – she has a Maharashtra hospital certificate diagnosing her with an “old ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) tear with left knee instability” – and asked, therefore, that only attempts in the ‘divyang’ category be counted.

READ | “Took Exam 12 Times, Don’t Consider 7 Of Those”: Puja Khedkar To Court

She also claimed only her middle name had been altered and argued “therefore, there is no truth in the allegation that there has been a major change in my name”. “UPSC verified my identity through biometric data… did not find my documents (to be) fake or incorrect…” she argued.

Ms Khedkar’s bail plea had been opposed both by the Delhi Police and the UPSC, which rejected the argument she be given bail on a promise to cooperate fully and because the material against her is documentary in nature, and therefore her custody isn’t needed.

The police’s counterargument was that Ms Khedkar’s custody was needed to interrogate her and unearth the involvement of others in the commission of the offence. The cops also said relief to Ms Khedkar could hinder its inquiry into the “deep-rooted conspiracy” behind the alleged crime.

READ | Puja Khedkar’s Fraud Not Only Against Us But Public Too: UPSC To Court

The UPSC, meanwhile, argued Ms Khedkar had committed a fraud against the public, and that her custody is needed for the cops to unearth a fraud that would have needed help from other individuals.

In early September the union government sacked Ms Khedkar, who has denied all charges against her and claimed she is being targeted since she filed a sexual harassment against her senior.

READ | Centre Dismisses Trainee Officer Puja Khedkar From IAS, Say Sources

This was a month after the UPSC cancelled her selection.

READ | UPSC Cancels Puja Khedkar’s IAS Selection, Blacklists Her For Life

Ms Khedkar’s troubles began in June when Pune Collector Suhas Diwase wrote to Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik, flagging the trainee IAS officer’s demands for perks such as a car, staff and an office that she was not entitled to during her two-year probation.

READ | Trainee IAS Officer Who Used Siren On Car Claimed Mental Disability

Thereafter, Ms Khedkar was transferred to Washim.

Amid the row, her selection for IAS came under the spotlight.

It was found that she had availed relaxed criteria for OBC candidates and persons with disabilities.

READ | “Regret To Inform…”: Trainee IAS Officer’s Disability Request Was Denied

It then came to light that her father, a former Maharashtra government officer, had property to the tune of Rs 40 crore and she did not qualify for the OBC non-creamy layer tag.

It also emerged that she had not appeared for a mandatory health check-up at a government facility to confirm her exemption for disability.

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NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal – sulking after claiming his party denied him a ministerial berth in the new Maharashtra government – was dealt a slap on the wrist by party boss Ajit Pawar.

In his first public reaction on this issue, Mr Pawar said “sometimes new people have to be given a chance” and said (without naming Mr Bhujbal), “It is not right… to create misunderstandings.”

He also seemed to hint at a solution that might satisfy Mr Bhujbal – who was among the 40+ MLAs to side with him in the rebellion last year against NCP founder Sharad Pawar.

“… we have also thought about giving a chance to older people at the centre,” Ajit Pawar said, indicating the 77-year-old OBC leader might be given a post in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet.

“Some people are expressing anger because they were not taken in the cabinet… but sometimes new people have to be given a chance. It is not right to unnecessarily create misunderstandings,” he said Monday afternoon.

“… we have also thought about how we can give a chance to (senior) people at the centre instead of giving them another chance (in the state government). Ajit Pawar will never disrespect others… but sometimes it is not right to unnecessarily create misunderstandings.”

Ajit Pawar’s NCP is part of Mr Modi’s BJP-led government at the state (as part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance) and federal (as part of the National Democratic Alliance) levels. In return for the support of its 41 MLAs, the party has been given, so far, nine ministerial berths.

READ | D Fadnavis New Maharashtra Chief Minister, E Shinde, Ajit Pawar Deputies

However, none of those berths fell to Mr Bhujbal, who was earlier the state’s Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection Minister. Mr Bhujbal – who has sway among the state’s OBC voters – responded with a fierce swipe at Ajit Pawar and another senior NCP leader, Praful Patel.

“Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel had said they will talk to me about a ministerial berth. But they did not… no one from Ajit Pawar or Praful Patel’s office called me. I am not a toy in their hands,” he said in Nashik.

Mr Bhujbal is the MLA from Yevla in Nashik district.

READ | “Not Your Toy”: Chhagan Bhujbal To Ajit Pawar On Cabinet Snub

Mr Bhujbal has claimed that his appointment to the state cabinet had, in fact, been cleared by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, but that his NCP colleagues held back on his nomination.

“Fadnavis wanted me… (state BJP chief Chandrashekhar) Bawankule told me that till the end Fadnavis was trying to push for me…” he raged, “The way I was treated was objectionable.”

Mr Bhujbal then indicated he expected to be compensated for this snub, and the time he was overlooked for a Rajya Sabha seat when available, which was then filled by Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra.

Mr Pawar had maintained silence amid Mr Bhujbal’s complaints and protests, by the latter’s supporters, in Pune and the Pawar stronghold of Baramati, and even through speculation Chhagan Bhujbal could return to Sharad Pawar’s side, start his own party, or join the BJP.

On Sunday, representatives of various OBC groups – who are campaigning against activist Manoj Jarange’s demand for quotas for the Maratha community – met Mr Bhujbal. “They expressed shock over my exclusion from the ministry and said they would back me for whatever stand I take,” he said.

Mr Bhujbal wasn’t the only big name to be dropped from this cabinet; his NCP colleague Dilip Walse-Patil, and Sudhir Mungantiwar and Vijaykumar Gavit of the BJP, also found no place.

READ | NCP’s Chhagan Bhujbal Out Of Cabinet, Opposition Lends Shoulder

The drama surrounding Mr Bhujbal has been picked up on by the opposition, which has made suitably sympathetic comments and subtle overtures to the OBC leader, including former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and the Congress’ five-time MLA Nitin Raut offering condolences.

Even the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar has expressed sympathy.

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Bangladesh formally asked India to return ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The interim government wants Hasina to face trial. She is accused of mass killings during student protests. An extradition treaty exists between the two nations. Hasina fled to India after protests ended her 15-year rule. The government plans to use the treaty to bring her back.