Delhi HC grants former trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar protection from arrest till August 21

The Delhi High Court on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to former trainee Indian Administrative Services officer Puja Khedkar who has been accused of fraudulently clearing the Union Public Service Commission examination, reported Bar and Bench.

Justice Subramonium Prasad granted relief to Khedkar till August 21.

Khedkar had moved the High Court seeking anticipatory bail after Additional Sessions Judge Devender Kumar Jangala of the Patiala House Courts on August 1 had denied her request.

On July 31, the Union Public Service Commission held that Khedkar faked her identity to appear for the civil services exam 12 times, which is more than what she was allowed, and permanently banned her from all the examinations that it conducts.

The commission had booked Khedkar on July 19 for alleged forgery and issued a show cause notice for cancelling her candidature in the 2022 Civil Services Examination.

On Monday, the commission told the High Court that the case involves a well-planned conspiracy and an investigation is ongoing.

“This is a case where mental faculties have been abused in a classical manner,” Senior Advocate Naresh Kaushik, appearing for the commission, told the court. “There are multiple coincidences and this is a well-planned crime.”

However, the High Court asked the police and the commission why they required Khedkar’s custody. It said that Khedkar...

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