The Supreme Court directed Pooja Khedkar, former trainee officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), to appear before the Delhi Police on May 2, for the crime of fraud and other Backward Classes (OBCs) and other Backward Classes (OBC) and disability category.
Justice B. A bench of V. Nagratna and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma also said that no punitive step will be taken against Khedkar till May 21.
The apex court said that there was no concrete investigation in the case and directed the Delhi Police to complete the investigation rapidly.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General S. presented by Delhi Police S.K. V. Raju said that Khedkar needs to be questioned in custody. However, the apex court gave him interim protection.
Khedkar is accused of giving wrong information in his application for the 2022 Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination to get the benefit of reservation. He has denied all the allegations against him.
Dismissing Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea, the High Court prima facie found a strong case against him and said that an inquiry needs to be detected to detect the “big conspiracy” to manipulate the system. The court said that giving relief would adversely affect it.
Khedkar was given interim protection from arrest when the High Court issued a notice on his anticipatory bail plea on August 12, 2024. It was extended from time to time.
UPSC initiated several action against Khedkar, which includes a criminal case for the efforts to get the benefit of sitting more often in the Civil Services Examination under the OBC and disabled category. Delhi Police also registered an FIR for various crimes against him.
