New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday extended former probationary Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar’s interim protection from arrest till August 29 and granted her time to respond to the response of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and the Delhi Police, which sought dismissal of her anticipatory bail plea in a case lodged against her on a complaint by the UPSC for allegedly cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits.
Justice Subramonium Prasad listed the matter for further hearing on August 29.
The High Court earlier granted Khedkar protection from arrest in the case till August 21.
Gravity of fraud committed is unprecedented in nature: UPSC
The UPSC in its response to Khedkar’s plea told the High Court that the gravity of the fraud committed by Khedkar is unprecedented in nature having been committed against not only a constitutional body but also against the public at large and that her custodial interrogation was necessary to unearth the magnitude of the fraud that could not have been done without the help of other individuals.
“The gravity of the fraud committed is unprecedented in nature having been committed against not only a constitutional body — the complainant — whose traditions are untrammelled and unparalleled but also against the public at large, including the citizens of this country who have utmost faith upon the credibility of the UPSC as well as persons who could not be appointed despite being duly eligible and qualified due to illegal means employed by the applicant to seek appointment,” the reply by the UPSC said.
Any relief to Khedkar would hinder investigation into ‘deep rooted conspiracy’: Delhi Police
The Delhi Police told the High Court that any relief to Khedkar 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 was not entitled to benefits as an “OBC+Non-Creamy Layer” candidate in the civil services exam: Delhi Police
The Delhi Police said in its status report filed before the court that its investigation has revealed that Khedkar was not entitled to benefits as an “OBC+Non-Creamy Layer” candidate in the civil services exam, however, she hatched a conspiracy with other persons to get that benefit by showing that her parents are divorced. It also said that the former probationary IAS officer made a false declaration regarding her previous number of attempts while writing the civil services examination (CSE)-2021 under a changed name.
Parents of Khedkar were living together: Delhi Police
The Delhi Police further said that the parents of Khedkar were living together and said that contrary to the claims of Khedkar that she had no connection with her father and showing the income of her mother being below the threshold to get the benefit of “OBC+Non-Creamy Layer” candidate, her family owns “23 pieces of immovable properties valued crores of rupees” in different locations in Maharashtra as well as 12 vehicles, including a Mercedes car, BMW car and a Thar SUV.
Delhi Police has registered an FIR against Khedkar on a complaint by UPSC
The Delhi Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Khedkar 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.
Earlier, a trial court rejected Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea and also directed the Delhi Police to widen its probe and to also investigate if she got help from anyone from inside the UPSC and also investigate if the benefits under OBC and PwD quotas without entitlement have been availed by other persons also.