Relief for Puja Khedkar As Delhi High Court Stays Arrest Till August 21

The Delhi High Court on Monday, August 12, directed the Delhi Police not to arrest former trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar until August 21. Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting and falsifying facts in her Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) application form to use the PwD and OBC quotas.

The High Court issued a notice in response to Khedkar’s plea seeking anticipatory bail. The single bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad ruled that the trial court, while denying relief to Khedkar, became overly focused on the allegations against her and did not properly address the bail plea. As a result, the court granted interim relief to Khedkar until August 21, while also issuing notices to the Delhi Police and UPSC regarding her petition for anticipatory bail.

Delhi HC grants interim protection from arrest till August 21 to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar in case for cheating & wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits. pic.twitter.com/Pueg8Cx8m8

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 12, 2024

The UPSC and Delhi Police informed the court that the case involves a well-planned conspiracy and that the investigation is ongoing. The Bench asked the police and UPSC to explain, in their response, the details of the alleged conspiracy and why Khedkar's custody is necessary.

Earlier, on Thursday, a Delhi court denied anticipatory bail to the Pune trainee officer and also directed the Delhi Police to investigate whether any other individuals had unlawfully availed benefits of quotas under OBC and Persons with Disabilities (PwD).