Supreme Court Extends Puja Khedkar's Protection Amid OBC Quota Controversy

The Supreme Court has extended protection from arrest for former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar until April 21. Khedkar is accused of cheating and misusing OBC and disability quota benefits in the UPSC exam. The court will review the case while Khedkar's counsel claims her willingness to cooperate with investigations.

The Supreme Court granted an extension of protection from arrest to Puja Khedkar, a former IAS probationer accused of exploiting OBC and disability quotas in the UPSC civil services examination.

The court, attentive to the submissions made by Khedkar's counsel regarding pending documentation, set April 21 as the date for the next hearing. Meanwhile, the protection from arrest, initially granted on January 15, remains in effect until then.

Khedkar is facing allegations of misrepresenting her identity to benefit from reservation policies, with the Delhi government seeking custodial interrogation. Her counsel insists on her readiness to collaborate with investigative authorities, despite a strong prima facie case against her.

(With inputs from agencies.)