UPSC cheating case: SC shields ex-IAS officer Puja Khedkar from arrest
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim protection from arrest to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar until February 14. Khedkar is accused of cheating and misusing OBC and disability quota benefits in the 2022 UPSC Civil Services Examination.
A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma issued notices to the Delhi government and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on her anticipatory bail plea. The court said, “Issue notice returnable on February 14, 2025. Till the next hearing, no coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioner.”
Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Khedkar, argued that the Delhi High Court made strong observations while rejecting her bail plea and vacating her interim protection. He added that Khedkar had lost her job and was willing to cooperate with the investigation. Luthra asserted that her custody was unnecessary as the allegations were primarily based on documentary evidence.
The Delhi Police and UPSC opposed the plea, emphasizing the need for custodial interrogation to uncover the extent of the fraud and other possible individuals involved. The High Court had found a prima facie case against Khedkar and described it as a "classic instance of fraud committed on a constitutional body and society."
Khedkar is alleged to have misrepresented information to obtain reservation benefits, including extra attempts in the examination. An FIR was registered against her on charges of forgery, cheating, and other offences. The UPSC initiated actions, accusing her of faking her identity and stressing that her actions undermined the credibility of the examination process.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing on February 14, 2025, while investigations continue into the allegations against Khedkar.
With PTI inputs