The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to suspend IAS trainee Puja Khedkar following a claim by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) that she made a false statement regarding cancelling her candidature.
UPSC asserts that Khedkar was notified of the cancellation order via her registered email, which she used to request an extension to respond to a Show Cause Notice.
Despite this, Khedkar allegedly stated in her affidavit that she had not received the official communication and only learned of the cancellation through a press release. UPSC has accused her of perjury, suggesting that her false statement aimed to secure favourable court orders.
The court, led by Justice Jyoti Singh, has scheduled a hearing for November 26, 2024, to address these allegations. On August 7, the same bench allowed Khedkar to challenge the cancellation of her candidature, clarifying that it had not yet evaluated the merits of her case. Senior Advocate Indira Jaising, representing Khedkar, has requested formal delivery of the cancellation order and the quashing of the press release.
In a related matter, Khedkar has also filed for anticipatory bail concerning an FIR registered by the Delhi Police, which accuses her of fraudulently exceeding permissible attempts in the civil services examination. The Delhi High Court has granted her interim protection from arrest while this case is ongoing.