The Delhi High Court on Thursday extended interim protection from arrest for Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationer, until September 5. Khedkar, who has been accused of fraudulently availing benefits under the OBC and disability quotas, received a deferment in her anticipatory bail hearing by Justice Subramonium Prasad. The court also allowed the police to submit a fresh status report in the interim.
Khedkar has been at the center of a controversy after allegations surfaced that she misrepresented information during her application for the Civil Services Examination 2022 to secure reservation benefits. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and Delhi Police have both argued for the dismissal of her pre-arrest bail plea, citing the need for custodial interrogation to explore the depth of the alleged fraud.
In a detailed rejoinder filed to counter the accusations, Khedkar denied all allegations of misrepresentation and cheating. She argued that her selection was purely based on merit within the Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) category, highlighting that she has not exhausted the permissible number of attempts under this category. Khedkar further contended that the UPSC, having verified her identity through biometric data during the personality test, lacks the authority to disqualify her candidature post-appointment, a power she asserts resides solely with the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) under relevant All India services Act and rules.
Moreover, Khedkar addressed claims regarding her identity manipulation by asserting the consistency of her name across all applications from 2012 to 2022. She also mentioned a medical examination by AIIMS, which confirmed her disability percentage well above the required threshold for the PwBD category.
On July 31, the UPSC took the drastic step of cancelling Khedkar’s candidature and barring her from future examinations. The police’s investigation suggests that Khedkar was not eligible for the “OBC+Non-Creamy Layer” benefits she claimed, alleging a conspiracy involving false declarations about her parents’ marital status and misreported previous attempts at the Civil Services Examination under a changed name.
