Delhi HC Extends Interim Protection From Arrest For Puja Khedkar

IAS Pooja Khedkar

The Delhi High Court on Thursday has extended the interim protection from arrest for former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar until October 4 in a criminal case concerning alleged cheating and the improper availing of OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination.

Justice Chandra Dhari Singh deferred the hearing on Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea at the request of her lawyer. The Delhi Police counsel requested a brief adjournment, citing the emergence of a “larger conspiracy” involving forgery and the fabrication of documents.

“At the request of the petitioner’s counsel, the matter will be listed on October 4. The interim order shall continue,” Justice Singh stated.

Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022 to obtain reservation benefits, a claim she denies. Her lawyer sought additional time to respond to the UPSC’s allegation that Khedkar committed perjury by providing false statements regarding her anticipatory bail plea. She asserted that Khedkar’s “debarment” followed a sexual harassment complaint she filed against an officer and objected to the media scrutiny surrounding the case, requesting that no press conferences be held by any party.

In response, the Delhi Police counsel stated that the investigating agency is not influenced by media pressure, while the UPSC’s senior counsel noted that Khedkar had “become a celebrity because of her own actions.”

Both the UPSC and Delhi Police have moved to dismiss Khedkar’s pre-arrest bail plea. The High Court initially granted her interim protection from arrest on August 12 while issuing notice on her anticipatory bail application, and this protection has been extended multiple times.

The Delhi Police has argued that any relief for Khedkar could impede its investigation into what it describes as a “deep-rooted conspiracy,” which has significant implications for public trust and the integrity of the civil services examination. The UPSC has previously stated that Khedkar perpetrated fraud against both the Commission and the public, asserting that her custodial interrogation is essential to uncover the “magnitude of the fraud,” which could not have been executed without assistance from others.

In July, the UPSC initiated several actions against Khedkar, including filing a criminal case for allegedly securing exam attempts by falsifying her identity.

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.