Supreme Court directs Puja Khedkar to appear before Delhi Police on May 2 for questioning, says no arrest

In the aftermath of the Puja Khedkar row, the government had to make changes in the Civil Services Examination Rules. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

The Supreme Court on Monday (April 21, 2025) directed former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar to appear before the Delhi Police Crime Branch (Central) for questioning even as it ordered that no “coercive steps”, to the extent of arrest, be made against her.

A Bench headed by Justice B.V. Nagarathna directed Ms. Khedkar to appear before the police on May 2 at 10.30 a.m. and on any other day, if she is summoned.

She is accused of cheating and wrongly availing OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination.

Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, for the police, said her custodial interrogation was necessary to ascertain the identity of the middlemen involved in the alleged scam of preparing fake disability certificates for UPSC aspirants.

Mr. Raju said Ms. Khedkar’s family owned many properties and was not eligible to claim quota benefits as a member of the non-creamy layer OBC community. The law officer said there was a powerful lobby behind her. Only her interrogation in custody would prove fruitful and take the probe further.

“Effectiveness of the interrogation will depend on the agency. You interrogate her first, we will see,” Justice Nagarathna addressed Mr. Raju.

In its order, the court urged the police to complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible.

Justice Nagarathna warned senior advocate Sidharth Luthra and advocate Bina Madhavan, for Ms. Khedkar, that “drastic steps” would be ordered against his client if she did not cooperate with the interrogation. The Bench said Ms. Khedkar has to bring all the documents sought for from her by the police.

“If she does not bring records, etc, she will face consequences,” Justice Nagarathna cautioned.

Agreeing, Mr. Luthra said “we understand. She cannot play fast and loose.

The top court had earlier granted Ms. Khedkar interim protection from arrest in January. In the aftermath of Puja Khedkar row, the Government had to make changes in the Civil Services Examination Rules.

In an earlier hearing, Mr. Raju had submitted that Ms. Khedkar was allowed nine attempts to clear the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam in the regular course, but by preparing a fake disability certificate, she took additional attempts for the test. He had said Ms. Khedkar had been appearing for UPSC exams since 2012 and then she got a fake disability certificate to take some additional chances to crack the test.