Supreme Court Extends Interim Protection for Ex-IAS Trainee in UPSC Fraud Case

The Supreme Court extended protection from arrest for former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar, accused of forgery to secure a spot in the UPSC 2022 exam. The extension allows Delhi Police additional time to respond to her bail appeal. The court emphasized her cooperation in the ongoing investigation.

The Supreme Court has extended its interim order safeguarding former IAS trainee Puja Khedkar from arrest in a case where she's accused of document forgery for the 2022 UPSC exam. Headed by Justice BV Nagarathna, the bench granted Delhi Police extra time to file their response concerning Khedkar's challenge to the Delhi High Court's denial of her anticipatory bail plea.

The bench directed Khedkar to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigation. 'List after three weeks. Let interim protection be continued till then, provided she is cooperating for investigation,' stated the Supreme Court, with the next hearing set for March 18.

During proceedings, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra highlighted Khedkar's willingness to participate in the investigation, noting no interrogation call from police yet. The Supreme Court had earlier ordered no coercive actions against Khedkar until the upcoming hearing. She's charged with exploiting OBC and disability reservations to pass the UPSC test, prompting strong remarks from the Delhi High Court about the severity of the alleged fraud.

The High Court indicated the necessity of thorough questioning to reveal any conspiracies, pointing out her parents' influential positions as potential factors in the alleged deceit. Charged by Delhi Police, Khedkar faces accusations of cheating and unlawful benefit claims from reservations.

(With inputs from agencies.)