The Delhi High Court on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to the former trainee Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Puja Khedkar who is accused of fraudulently clearing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination.

Justice Subramonium Prasad granted the interim relief to Khedkar till August 21, while issuing notice to the Delhi Police and UPSC on her petition for anticipatory bail. During the hearing of the case, the court remarked that the trial court while denying relief to Khedkar got bogged down by the allegations against her and did not properly deal with the bail plea.

"In the facts of the present case, the court is of the opinion that the petitioner be not arrested till the next date of hearing," Justice Prasad said, adding that Khedkar shall cooperate with the investigation.

 The court listed the case for further hearing on August 21. 

Khedkar allegedly misrepresented information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022 to get reservation benefits.

 On July 31, the UPSC cancelled Khedkar's candidature and debarred her from future exams. 

On August 1, a sessions court here had denied anticipatory bail to her and said there are serious allegations against her, which "require a thorough investigation".

 During the hearing, the high court asked the police and the UPSC to state the need of her custody in the case when it was a case of "false representation" in a document and Khedkar "was not in the system to tamper with the system" and allegedly committed the offence alone.

 "Why do you need her custody? The case appears to be of false representation given by her in her form... All these are in her form only.

Where is the question of anybody else being involved that would require her custody?" the court observed.

 While denying the pre-arrest bail, the trial court went on to deal with the alleged offence but did not say anything on why the relief ought to have been refused, the high court stated.

 Senior advocate Naresh Kaushik, appearing for the UPSC, said Khedkar was "not an ordinary person" but a "mastermind" who was "equally influential and manipulative", even if not part of the system.  "Next four days, if you don't have reason to arrest, don't arrest her," the court told the police.