Former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar gets protection from arrest in UPSC fraud case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted protection from arrest to former Indian Administrative Service probationer Puja Khedkar, who is accused of having fraudulently cleared the Union Public Service Commission examination, reported the Hindustan Times.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and SC Sharma issued notice on Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea and scheduled the matter for February 14. It also sought responses from Delhi Police and Union Public Service Commission examination, which cancelled her candidature in July 2024.

Advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Khedkar, told the bench that she apprehended arrest after the Delhi High Court denied her pre-arrest bail in December and made critical remarks against her. The lawyer also said that Khedkar, a single woman, is now faced with a career setback on account of having lost her job.

“You are responsible for all this.” the bench responded, according to the Hindustan Times. “She has not been arrested for more than 7 months. What is the apprehension that you have?”

Luthra then told the bench that the Delhi High Court had granted Khedkar protection from arrest in August, but after her anticipatory bail petition was rejected in December, she now fears arrest.

On December 23, the Delhi High Court denied her anticipatory bail, observing that said that a preliminary case had been made out about Khedkar having…

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