UPSC cheating case: Delhi HC grants interim protection from arrest to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar

A sessions court in Delhi had denied Puja Khedkar anticipatory bail and said there are serious allegations against her, which "require a thorough investigation". File pic

The Delhi High Court (HC) on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) probationer Puja Khedkar till August 21. She has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing the other backward class (OBC) and disability quota benefits.

Justice Subramonium Prasad issued notice to the Delhi Police as well as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on the anticipatory bail plea filed by Khedkar, and asked them to file their responses.

"In the facts of the present case, the court is of the opinion that the petitioner be not arrested till the next date of hearing," Justice Prasad said.

The court listed the case for further hearing on August 21.

Khedkar allegedly misrepresented information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to get reservation benefits.

On July 31, UPSC cancelled Khedkar's candidature and debarred her from future exams.

Khedkar then approached a sessions court in Delhi stating that she faced "immediate threat of arrest".

However, a day later, the court denied her anticipatory bail and said there are serious allegations against her, which "require a thorough investigation".

"Custodial interrogation of the accused is required to unearth the whole conspiracy and to establish involvement of the other persons involved in conspiracy," the court said, adding that the case is "only the tip of the iceberg".

The judge directed the Delhi Police to conduct its investigation "in all fairness" to find out the candidates recommended in the recent past who might have illegally availed of such benefits and whether some insider from UPSC also helped Khedkar.

In response to Khedkar's claim of having been falsely implicated in the case and being a victim of media trial and witch-hunt, the sessions court said the argument was not tenable because there was sufficient incriminating material on record.

"The conspiracy has been hatched in a pre-planned manner and executed by the accused in many years. The accused alone could not have executed the conspiracy without the assistance of some outsider or insider," it said.

(With PTI inputs)