Puja Khedkar receives interim protection extension from Delhi High Court

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday extended the interim bail of former IAS probation officer Puja Khedkar till October 4 in the criminal case filed against her for alleged cheating and wrongfully availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services entrance examination.

Judge Chandra Dhari Singh postponed the hearing on her application for interim bail after her lawyer filed a motion to that effect.

The Delhi Police counsel urged the court to grant a brief adjournment as a “larger conspiracy has come to light” involving forgery and forgery.

“On the request of the plaintiff’s counsel, the hearing will be held on October 4. An interim order is issued,” said Judge Singh.

Khedkar is accused of allegedly making false statements in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2022 to obtain reservation benefits.

She has denied all allegations.

Khedkar’s lawyer on Thursday requested the court for more time to respond to the UPSC’s allegation that she committed perjury by giving false testimony in relation to her application for interim bail.

She said her “expulsion” was a result of a sexual harassment complaint she made against an officer and also objected to the media attention the case attracted.

There should be no press conferences by any party, demanded the lawyer.

While the Delhi Police lawyer said the investigating agency was “never under pressure from the media”, the UPSC senior counsel said Khekdar had “become a celebrity through her own actions”.

Both the UPSC and the Delhi Police demanded that her pre-arrest bail plea be dismissed.

The Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Khedkar while announcing her application for interim bail on August 12 and this bail has been extended from time to time.

Delhi Police has said any relief to Khedkar would hamper their investigation into the “deep-rooted conspiracy” and that the case has far-reaching implications for public confidence as well as the integrity of the civil service review process.

The UPSC had earlier said that Khedkar had committed a fraud against the Commission and the public and her questioning in custody was necessary to uncover the “extent of the fraud”, which would not have been possible without the help of other persons.

The UPSC had initiated a series of actions against Khedkar in July, including filing a criminal case against her for gaining entry to the civil service examination by faking an identity.

The Delhi Police has filed an FIR under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.