SC extends interim protection from arrest to ex-IAS trainee Puja Khedkar

Photo: ANI

The Supreme Court has extended its interim order protecting former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar from arrest. Khedkar is accused of forging documents to qualify for the 2022 UPSC exam.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma directed the Delhi Police to speed up their investigation. The court questioned why the probe was still incomplete when Khedkar had already submitted an affidavit stating she was ready to cooperate.

"You must track up this investigation steadfastly," Justice Nagarathna told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who was representing the Delhi Police.

The court scheduled the next hearing for April 15, where it will hear Khedkar’s plea for anticipatory bail. During the session, ASG Raju argued that police needed to interrogate Khedkar in custody to investigate a larger scam related to fake documents in UPSC exams.

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"This is not just one case. We suspect a bigger scam involving multiple people who may be supplying fake certificates," Raju told the court. He explained that the police needed to find out whether Khedkar’s case was an isolated incident or part of a larger fraud network.

While acknowledging the need to identify the source of the alleged forged documents, the Supreme Court pointed out that keeping Khedkar in custody might not be necessary for this purpose.

Khedkar’s lawyer denied all allegations of forgery. He informed the court that Khedkar was diagnosed with a low-vision disability in 2018 and had attempted the UPSC exam three times since then. He also argued that her attempt as a disabled candidate was still valid.

The bench, however, responded by saying, "You must justify your attempts."

Khedkar had earlier challenged the Delhi High Court’s decision to reject her bail plea. In January, the Supreme Court granted her temporary protection from arrest and asked her to cooperate with the investigation.

She is accused of wrongly using reservations meant for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities to qualify for the civil services exam.

The Delhi High Court, while rejecting her bail plea, had strongly criticized her actions. The court called it "a classic example of fraud, not just against a constitutional body but also against society and the nation."

The High Court further stressed the importance of interrogating Khedkar to uncover any conspiracy behind the alleged fraud. It also noted that her parents held high-ranking positions, suggesting the possibility of collusion with influential people.

Currently, Khedkar is facing criminal charges filed by the Delhi Police for cheating and unlawfully claiming OBC and disability quota benefits in the UPSC exam.

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