The Delhi High Court has extended interim protection from arrest for suspended IAS officer Puja Khedkar until September 5, 2024. This extension was granted during a hearing on her anticipatory bail plea, which has been deferred to the same date. Justice Subramonium Prasad presided over the case, allowing the Delhi Police additional time to review Khedkar’s rejoinder and to file a fresh status report.
Puja Khedkar faces serious allegations, including charges of cheating and improperly securing benefits under the OBC and disability quotas. Through her rejoinder in the High Court, Khedkar argued that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) does not have the jurisdiction to disqualify her in such matters.
She contended that the UPSC, responsible for administering the civil services examination, lacks the authority to disqualify candidates based on these allegations.
The same bench had previously issued notices to the Delhi Police and the UPSC regarding Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea. During an earlier hearing, the court directed the investigating agency not to arrest her while the matter is under consideration, citing that an immediate arrest was not deemed necessary.
The Delhi High Court expressed concerns over the trial court’s earlier order denying bail to Khedkar, noting that the decision lacked substantial discussion and only briefly mentioned the Public Prosecutor’s claim regarding the involvement of others in the case.
The High Court's observations indicated that the trial court had not sufficiently deliberated on the matter, leading to the decision to extend protection until further proceedings.
The UPSC has argued that Khedkar is the "mastermind" behind the alleged conspiracy and asserted that her actions would not have been possible without external assistance. This claim supports the UPSC's position that custodial interrogation of Khedkar is necessary to uncover the full extent of the alleged conspiracy.
Khedkar's plea in the Delhi High Court follows the dismissal of her previous bail plea by the Patiala House Court in Delhi. The lower court had deemed the allegations against her, particularly those related to falsifying identity for extra attempts in the civil services examination, to be serious and warranting thorough investigation.
The trial court judge had asserted that custodial interrogation was essential to uncover the entire conspiracy and to identify any additional individuals involved.
The accusations against Khedkar involve multiple charges, including offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Information Technology (IT) Act, as well as the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
The charges include cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy, with allegations that Khedkar misrepresented her identity to secure benefits under the OBC (non-creamy layer) and disability quotas.
The trial court had previously criticised the UPSC, emphasising the need for the commission to maintain the highest standards of transparency and fairness in its procedures. The court noted that the breach in the commission's standard operating procedure (SOP) by Khedkar might only be the tip of the iceberg, raising concerns about the integrity of the examination process.
The court also directed the investigating agency to widen the scope of its investigation to identify any other candidates who may have illegally availed benefits or obtained additional attempts in the civil services examination.
Follow us
