In a significant develoipment, the Delhi High Court on Monday granted former trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar interim protection from arrest and directed the UPSC and Delhi Police not to take her into custody until the next hearing date. Notably, Puja Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting and falsifying facts in her application to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Delhi High Court asked the the investigation agency not to arrest her while the matter is under consideration, noting that immediate arrest is not deemed necessary. A detailed hearing is scheduled for August 21.
Delhi HC Justice Subramonium Prasad issued the order while hearing a plea by Puja Khedkar seeking anticipatory bail.
Earlier, Puja Khedkar has sought anticipatory bail from the Delhi High Court and the matter matter is being heard by a bench led by Justice Subramanium Prasad.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra represented Puja Khedkar, while Naresh Kaushik represented the UPSC.
Puja Khedkar, who is accused of cheating and wrongly securing OBC and disability quota benefits, on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court seeking anticipatory bail in the criminal case against her.
Her plea for pre-arrest bail is scheduled for hearing before Justice Subramonium Prasad on Friday. Khedkar allegedly misrepresented information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to get reservation benefits.
On July 31, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) cancelled Khedkar’s candidature and debarred her from future exams.
On August 1, a sessions court in the national capital had denied anticipatory bail to her and said there are serious allegations against her which “require a thorough investigation”.
Khedkar, who has not been arrested in the case, had approached the sessions court, saying she faces “immediate threat of arrest”.
