The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted former Administrative Service (IAS) trainee officer Puja Khedkar a temporary reprieve by staying her arrest in connection with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam cheating case.
The court ordered that no coercive measures be taken against Khedkar until the next hearing. It also issued a notice to the Delhi government regarding her appeal against the Delhi High Court’s rejection of her anticipatory bail plea.
The matter was brought before a bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, who posted the case for further hearing on February 14. The top court ruled that no coercive action would be taken against Khedkar until then.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing Khedkar, argued that his client was facing three allegations and had been denied bail without proper interrogation. Luthra further claimed that the Delhi High Court’s remarks had prejudged the case.
Khedkar stands accused of manipulating documents in her UPSC civil services exam application to secure reservation benefits. She has denied all the allegations made against her. Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed her anticipatory bail application, citing the existence of a strong prima facie case against her.
The court also stated that further investigation was needed to uncover a “larger conspiracy” behind the alleged manipulation of the recruitment system.
Court’s stay on her arrest provides Khedkar with temporary relief as the legal proceedings continue.
Read More: Congress Inaugurates New National Headquarters After 47 Years; Indira Gandhi Bhawan Marks a New Era
