Supreme Court Extends Protection From Arrest For Puja Khedkar Until March 18

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday extended protection from arrest for former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar until March 18.

Khedkar is accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the 2022 UPSC civil services exam.

A bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma ordered Khedkar to fully cooperate with the investigation and extended her interim protection from arrest until the next hearing on March 18.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju requested more time to submit a reply. Senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Khedkar, stated that she was ready to cooperate but had not been called for questioning, as per reports.

Previously, the Supreme Court had ordered that no coercive action be taken against Khedkar until further notice.

The Delhi High Court, while rejecting her anticipatory bail, strongly condemned her actions, labelling them a “clear case of fraud against both a constitutional body and society.” The court stressed that her interrogation was essential to uncover the conspiracy behind the fraud.

The Delhi High Court also pointed out that her parents are both holding high-ranking positions, raising concerns about possible collusion with powerful individuals.

Khedkar faces criminal charges from Delhi Police for cheating and unlawfully using quota benefits in the UPSC examination.