SC order validates my stance: Puja Khedkar after securing anticipatory bail
Pune: Dismissed IAS probationer Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar on Wednesday said she felt "relieved" by the
Supreme Court
's order granting her
anticipatory bail
in the alleged forging of identity papers, misrepresenting and falsifying facts to obtain extra attempts in the Civil Services Exam-2022, beyond the prescribed limit.
"The SC order validates my stance," Khedkar told TOI. "The narrative established against me in the media was wrongly put out as negative, but I was certain that I will get justice," she said.
"From the very beginning, I had submitted multiple times before the courts right up to the SC that I am ready to cooperate with the investigation, and I did join the investigation at Crime Branch Delhi. I was present there for the investigation multiple times and submitted over 70 documents," Khedkar said.
Her father, Dilip Khedkar, said, "My daughter was questioned by the Delhi crime branch for seven days. It is our case that they could not find any issue with the documents she submitted. We still maintain that the Union Public Service Commission's (UPSC) complaint against Puja is legally inappropriate. It was done under political pressure and media trial."
On what lies ahead for his daughter, Dilip said, "She has already approached the Central Administrative Tribunal against the UPSC's decision to cancel her provisional candidature of the CSE-2022 and seeking reinstatement.
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The matter is expected to come up for hearing before the tribunal by month-end. We are hopeful about getting justice at the tribunal too."
The case, which attracted nationwide attention, involves allegations that Puja falsely claimed disability and OBC certificates to secure her position in the civil services.
Right to information activist Vijay Kumbhar, who has been following the case closely, told TOI, "
Puja Khedkar
may have secured anticipatory bail from the SC but the real questions remain unanswered.
Bail – interim or otherwise – is part of the judicial process, and one cannot question it in isolation. But what can be questioned is the consistently evasive role of the system and its machinery in this and many similar cases."
Sources in the state revenue department said the anticipatory bail gives Puja temporary relief, but the larger case regarding her eligibility and the authenticity of her certificates remains under scrutiny, with multiple agencies still investigating aspects of the allegations.
Puja was initially posted at Pune collectorate before she was transferred to Washim after the controversy broke out and was eventually dismissed.
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Key Takeaways: • Jaishankar also expressed India's 'deep appreciation' to France for strong condemnation of the cross-border terrorist attack in Pahalgam and thanked Paris for its 'steadfast support for India's right to defend itself against terrorism'. • He said the two sides also discussed global and regional issues like the situation in the Indian subcontinent, the Ukraine conflict, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. • 'Defence, security, space, civilian nuclear cooperation, I think we agreed to intensify all of these through very concrete measures and projects in the time to come,' he added. Jaishankar said his conversations with Barrot also covered the IMEEC, and 'our triangular development cooperation, how do we take forward some of our trilateral mechanisms, we have one with the UAE, and with Australia'. Do You Know: • For New Delhi, trust also stems from the fact that France was among the few Western nations that refrained from imposing sanctions on India following the Pokhran-II nuclear tests of 1998. Since then, the two countries have collaborated closely at nearly all multilateral forums, including the UN Security Council. There has also been convergence in security and economic interests in the Indo-Pacific. • France is a pioneer in civil nuclear energy, with around 70% of its electricity being derived from nuclear power. • Both leaders stressed that nuclear energy is an 'essential part of the energy mix' to enhance energy security and transition towards a low-carbon economy. France has offered to build nuclear power reactors in Jaitapur, Maharashtra. • The India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a connectivity project that seeks to develop a seamless infrastructure of ports, railways, roads, sea lines and pipelines to enhance trade among India, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean region and Europe. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Defence to energy, deepening of India-France ties amid geopolitical shifts 📍India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor: Significance and Prospects for India UPSC Mains Question Covering similar theme: How will the I2U2 (India, Israel, UAE and USA) grouping transform India's position in global politics? (UPSC CSE 2022) Syllabus: Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance Mains Examination: General Studies-II: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests. General Studies-III: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. What's the ongoing story: Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL), a public sector undertaking (PSU) of the Ministry of Railways, is in discussion with Russia's state-owned atomic energy company Rosatom to build Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to fulfill the energy requirements of its four ongoing mega projects, including the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line. Key Points to Ponder: • What are SMRs? • What are the steps taken by the government to achieve net-zero by 2030? • What is the Nuclear Energy Mission of India? • What are the Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs)? • What are the Bharat Small Reactors (BSRs)? • What is the three-stage nuclear programme of India? • What are the challenges in utilising nuclear energy for civilian purposes? • What is the science behind nuclear energy production? Key Takeaways: • A senior RVNL official said that a meeting was held on Thursday with the Russian company in this regard. He further said that push towards nuclear energy is part of this year's Budget announcement to develop SMRs to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and Indian Railways' target to achieve net-zero by 2030. • SMRs are advanced nuclear reactors with a power capacity of up to 300 MW per unit and require less area for installation. The official said SMRs are also part of RVNL's plan to expand its interest and work in the energy sector. • 'If everything works out, we have decided to build SMRs for the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line, Bhanupali-Bilaspur railway line, Yavatmal-Nanded railway line and Indore-Budni Railway line' said, the official. • Union Budget 2025-26 launched a Nuclear Energy Mission, which is focused on research and development (R&D) of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). The government has allocated Rs. 20,000 crore for this initiative, aiming to develop at least five indigenously designed and operational SMRs by 2033. The government has set an ambitious target of 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047, positioning nuclear energy as a major pillar in India's energy mix. Do You Know: • India owes the vision of the three-phase programme of nuclear power to ensure energy security to Dr Homi J Bhabha, the father of India's nuclear programme, and Dr Vikram Sarabhai, who recognised the need for developing FBRs, as these reactors generate more nuclear fuel than they consume due to the gainful conversion of fertile isotopes into fissile material. → STAGE 1: Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) use natural uranium-based fuels to generate electricity, while producing fissile plutonium (Pu239), which can be extracted by reprocessing the spent fuel. It uses heavy water (deuterium oxide) both as a coolant and moderator. The programme has been supplemented by the construction of imported Light Water Reactors (LWRs). → STAGE 2: It involves setting up Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) of the kind at Kalpakkam, using plutonium-based fuels, which can enhance nuclear power capacity, and convert fertile thorium into fissile uranium (U233). Reprocessing of the spent fuel is vital for efficient utilisation of the plutonium inventory. → STAGE 3: The third stage will be based on the ThU233 cycle. U233 produced in the second stage can be used for the third stage of the power programme, which consists of advanced thermal and fast breeder reactors, for long-term energy security. The Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) is proposed for this. Now, the use of molten salt reactors is also seen as an option. Other Important Articles Covering the same topic: 📍Knowledge Nugget: India's three-stage nuclear programme — A must-know for UPSC exams Prelims Question Covering similar theme: (4) Consider the following statements: 1. Fast Breeder Reactors (FBRs) are envisioned as the third stage of India's three-stage nuclear programme. 2. Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors (PHWRs) use heavy water (deuterium oxide) as a coolant. 3. Thorium-bearing monazite is an example of fissile material. How many of the above statements is/are incorrect? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Driver arrested for cheating woman on promise of marriage; rejection led her to consume poison, critical in ICU
In Udupi, Hallihole Bharat is in police custody. He is accused of deceiving a 23-year-old woman with marriage promises. The woman's brother filed the complaint. Bharat, a driver, allegedly had a relationship with her. UDUPI: The Shankaranarayana police on Saturday arrested a man on charges of cheating a 23-year-old woman after promising to marry her. The accused is Hallihole Bharat. The complaint was filed by her elder brother, who stated that his sister worked at a clothing store in Siddapur for the past two years. The accused, Bharat, was employed as a driver for the complainant's pickup vehicle for the last six months. He would visit the complainant's house daily to take the vehicle out on hire. During this time, the family learnt that Bharat developed a relationship with the young woman over the past two months. He would often drop her off at the Tarekodlu bus stand on his motorbike. The woman reportedly told her family that Bharat promised to marry her and was aware of the caste she belonged to. On June 9 around 6:00 pm, Bharat allegedly told her he would not marry her and left her at the bus stand. Distressed by the rejection, the woman is said to have consumed rat poison on June 11. She was rushed to the govt hospital in Kundapur by her family and is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU. The complainant alleged that Bharat misled his sister with false assurances of marriage despite knowing her caste, and then backed out, pushing her to attempt suicide. A case has been registered at the Shankaranarayana police station under Sections 3(1)(r)(s) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and Section 318 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
