New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday extended till September 5 the interim protection granted to probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar from arrest in a case lodged against her on a complaint by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for allegedly cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits.
High Court earlier extended Khedkar’s interim protection from arrest till August 29
Justice Subramonium Prasad, who earlier extended Khedkar’s interim protection from arrest till August 29, deferred hearing on Kedkar’s anticipatory bail plea till September 5 and granted liberty to the Delhi Police to file a fresh status report.
Khedkar has moved High Court against trial court order refusing to grant her anticipatory bail
Khedkar has moved the High Court against the trial court order refusing to grant her anticipatory bail in the case registered 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 on July 31 cancelled her candidature and debarred her from future exams.
UPSC, Delhi Police have sought dismissal of Khedkar’s plea
The UPSC and the Delhi Police have opposed Khedkar’s plea seeking anticipatory bail and have sought dismissal of her plea.
The UPSC, in its response to Khedkar’s plea, has told the High Court that the gravity of the fraud committed by her is unprecedented in nature and it has not only been committed against a constitutional body but also against the public at large.
The Delhi Police has told the High Court that Khedkar was not entitled to benefits as an “OBC+Non-Creamy Layer” candidate in the civil services exam and that any relief to her would hinder its investigation into the “deep rooted conspiracy” and that the case has wider implications on public trust as well as the integrity of the civil services examination.
Khedkar, in a rejoinder, has denied allegations levelled against her
Khedkar, in a rejoinder filed before the High Court, has denied the allegations levelled against her and has said that she has neither misrepresented nor cheated in the process of successfully clearing the Civil Services Examination-2022 and that there has been no change in her first name and surname from 2012 to 2022. She has further said that UPSC does not has the power to disqualify her candidature and DOPT alone can take action.
“None of the documents produced are forged, fabricated or created and are issued by the authorities competent to issue the same and the applicant has not misrepresented or cheated the respondent No 2 (UPSC),”, Khedkar said in her rejoinder and added, “There has been no change in the applicant’s first name and surname, from 2012 to 2022, as consistently reflected in all DAFs (detailed application forms). The applicant has not manipulated or misrepresented her name to UPSC.”
