Delhi High Court Extends Protection From Arrest For Former Trainee IAS Puja Khedkar Till 29 August

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (21 August) extended the interim protection from arrest granted to suspended trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar until 29 August.

Khedkar is facing accusations of falsifying and misrepresenting facts in her application to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

The court had instructed the investigative agency not to proceed with her arrest while the matter is under consideration, noting that an immediate arrest was not necessary.

The hearing on Khedkar's anticipatory bail plea has been deferred by Justice Subramonium Prasad to 29 August 2024, as the Delhi Police had not yet filed their reply on record, news agency ANI reported.

Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Khedkar, also sought additional time to examine the UPSC's response, which opposes her plea for anticipatory bail.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had issued notices to both the Delhi Police and UPSC regarding her bail plea.

The court had earlier observed that the trial court's order, which denied bail, lacked substantial discussion and only briefly referenced the Public Prosecutor's claim about the involvement of other individuals.

The UPSC had argued that Ms. Khedkar is a “mastermind” and that her actions would not have been possible without the assistance of others. This argument supports their position that custodial interrogation is necessary.

Khedkar’s appeal to the Delhi High Court comes after the rejection of her plea by the Patiala House Court last week.

The trial court found the allegations against her, regarding falsifying identity to gain extra attempts in the civil services examination, to be serious and warranting thorough investigation.

The trial court Judge emphasised that custodial interrogation is required to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy and to identify the other persons involved.

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