The Delhi High Court Monday granted Puja Khedkar, a former trainee IAS officer, protection from arrest until August 21. This decision bars the Delhi Police from taking her into custody before the next court hearing. Khedkar faces allegations of misrepresenting and falsifying information in her application to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). She had appealed to the high court after a district court denied her request for anticipatory bail.
Justice Subramonium Prasad while issuing the order questioned the necessity of Khedkar’s immediate detention, noting that it seemed she had acted independently in the alleged offences.
“As of now it doesn’t seem to me at the moment that her immediate custody is required,” Justice Prasad said.
The court has instructed Khedkar to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation. It has involved the UPSC in the proceedings, issuing notices to both the commission and the Delhi Police to respond to her interim bail request.
Khedkar, a 2023 IAS batch officer, is accused of committing fraud by exceeding the allowed number of attempts through falsified personal details. This includes changing her name, her parents’ names, her photograph, signature, email ID, mobile number, and address.
Following these accusations, the UPSC filed a police complaint against Khedkar, subsequently cancelling her candidature on July 31 and barring her from all future exams conducted by the commission.
On August 1, a Delhi court rejected Khedkar’s plea for anticipatory bail, emphasising the need for custodial interrogation to fully investigate the alleged conspiracy and any potential involvement of other individuals.
The sessions court highlighted that Khedkar’s actions not only defrauded the UPSC but also denied deserving candidates their legitimate opportunities.
The Delhi Police have launched an investigation, gathering documents and evidence related to the case.
Khedkar’s legal team argued that she should be allowed to address the allegations and that the issue of her withholding information about the number of attempts should be resolved through inquiry.
