Delhi HC Issues Notice Puja Khedkar over UPSC’s Perjury Charge

NEW DELHI:
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Thursday moved to the Delhi High Court against Pooja Khedkar, a disqualified IAS probationary officer and alleged that she has committed perjury by submitting false documents to secure favourable orders. The UPSC alleges that Khedkar attempted to manipulate the judicial system and stated that Puja Khedkar has committed perjury by filing a false affidavit and the intent behind making such a blatantly false statement naturally appears to be an attempt to obtain favourable orders on the basis of the false statement.

The UPSC stated that the claim that the Commission collected her biometrics is absolutely false and made with the sole aim and purpose of deceiving this Court for obtaining favourable orders. The said claim is denied since the Commission did not collect any biometrics (eyes and fingerprints) during her personality test or carried out any attempts at verification on the basis of the same. The Commission has not collected any biometric information from any candidate during the personality test of the civil services examinations held so far. The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad sought the response of Puja Khedkar and listed the matter for September 26 along with the ongoing anticipatory bail matter of Pujha Khedkar in Delhi High Court.

This bench of Delhi High Court is presently also examining the Puja Khedkar plea seeking an anticipatory bail plea and has granted interim protection from arrest in the case. Counsels Naresh Kaushik Sr Adv, Vardhman Kaushik Adv, Nishant Gautam Adv, Mayank Sharma Adv, Anand Singh Adv and Vinay Kaushik Adv appeared on behalf of UPSC.

Puja Khedkar recently filed an anticipatory bail application in relation to a FIR registered against her for allegedly “faking her identity to fraudulently avail attempts beyond permissible limit” in civil services examination. Recently, Delhi Police registered a FIR on the basis of a complaint filed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) against Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar. Recently, Delhi High Court has also issued notice to suspended IAS trainee Puja Khedkar on an application moved by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) claiming that she made an incorrect assertion in her petition that she was not served the order of cancellation of candidature.

UPSC stated that communication in regards to cancelling her candidature was communicated to her on her registered mail ID. So she falsely submitted before the Delhi High Court earlier that the press release dated 31.07.2024 was not officially communicated to her.