Delhi High Court Extends Protection for Suspended IAS Officer Pooja Khedkar Amidst Emerging Conspiracy
The Delhi High Court has extended the interim protection from arrest for suspended IAS officer Pooja Khedkar until October 4, 2024. This decision came during a hearing where the Delhi Police opposed her anticipatory bail plea, citing an emerging larger conspiracy as the investigation progresses.
The bench of Justice Chandra Dhari Singh, which heard the matter for the first time following a recent change in the court roster, adjourned the case to allow related counsels time to make detailed submissions. The court will reconvene on October 4, 2024, for the next scheduled hearing.
Recently, the predecessor bench had issued a notice to Pooja Khedkar based on a plea from the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which accused her of perjury. The UPSC claims that Khedkar submitted false documents to secure favorable orders, including a false affidavit stating that the Commission collected her biometrics, which the UPSC denies.
The UPSC further alleges that Khedkar falsely claimed she was not informed about the cancellation of her candidature, despite communication being sent to her registered email ID. The Delhi Police also registered an FIR against Khedkar for allegedly faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond the permissible limit in the civil services examination.
The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad has sought a response from Pooja Khedkar and listed the matter for September 26, along with the ongoing anticipatory bail matter.
Doubts Revealed
Delhi High Court -: The Delhi High Court is a big court in Delhi, India, where important legal cases are decided.
IAS officer -: An IAS officer is a person who works for the Indian government to help run the country. IAS stands for Indian Administrative Service.
Pooja Khedkar -: Pooja Khedkar is the name of the IAS officer who is in trouble and needs protection from being arrested.
interim protection -: Interim protection means temporary safety from being arrested until the court makes a final decision.
anticipatory bail -: Anticipatory bail is when someone asks the court to not arrest them because they think they might be arrested soon.
conspiracy -: A conspiracy is when people secretly plan to do something wrong or illegal together.
UPSC -: UPSC stands for Union Public Service Commission. It is a group that helps select people for important government jobs in India.
perjury -: Perjury means lying in a legal setting, like in court or in official documents.
