New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating, and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination.

A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma directed Khedkar to cooperate in the probe.

"What is the grave crime she has committed? She is not a drug lord or a terrorist. She has not committed 302 (murder). She is not an NDPS offender. You should have a system or a software. You complete the investigation. She has lost everything and will not get a job anywhere," the bench observed orally.

"Bearing in mind the facts and circumstances of the case, this is a fit case where the Delhi High Court ought to have granted bail to the petitioner," the bench noted.

The counsel for the Delhi Police vehemently opposed grant of anticipatory bail to Khedkar, saying she was not cooperating in the probe and allegations against her were serious.

Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting information in her application for the 2022 UPSC civil services examination for availing reservation benefits. She has refuted all the allegations against her.

The UPSC initiated a series of actions against Khedkar, including lodging of a criminal case, for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking her identity. Delhi Police also filed an FIR against her for various offences. PTI