New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday (September 5) posted a plea of former probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar seeking anticipatory bail for further hearing on September 26 and extended the interim protection from arrest granted to her earlier till the next hearing.
Justice Subramonium Prasad, while posting the matter for further hearing on September 26, recorded the prayer of the Delhi Police that it needs 10 more days time for further investigation into the the alleged cheating and wrongly availing Other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability quota benefits by Khedkar.
Khedkar willing to get medically examined in AIIMS, her counsel told High Court
During the hearing, Khedkar’s counsel, in response to the status report filed by the Delhi Police claiming that one of the disability certificates may be “forged” and “fabricated”, told the High Court that she was willing to get herself medically examined in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
Khedkar’s custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the ‘conspiracy’: Delhi Police
The counsel representing the Delhi Police argued before the High Court that that while attempting the civil services examination, Khedkar “concealed facts” that she was otherwise not eligible to write and that her custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the “conspiracy” and the involvement of other persons.
Her custodial interrogation not required, Khedkar’s counsel told High Court
The counsel representing Khedkar opposed the submissions of the Delhi Police and said that her custodial interrogation was not required as all her records were available with the authorities.
The Delhi Police earlier told the High Court that Khedkar was not entitled to benefits as an “OBC+Non-Creamy Layer” candidate in the civil services examination and that any relief to her would hinder its investigation into the “deep rooted conspiracy”. It, while opposing her plea for anticipatory bail plea, further said that her case has wider implications on public trust as well as the integrity of the civil services examination.
The UPSC also opposed Khedkar’s plea for anticipatory bail, submitting that the gravity of the fraud committed by Khedkar is unprecedented in nature and it has not only been committed against a constitutional body but also against the public at large.
Khedkar has moved High Court against a trial court order refusing to grant her anticipatory bail
Khedkar has moved the High Court against an order of the trial court refusing to grant her pre-arrest bail in a case registered by the Delhi Police against her under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act and Right of Persons with Disability Act on a complaint by the UPSC, which cancelled her candidature on July 31 and debarred her from future exams.
