Delhi High Court tells Puja Khedkar to respond to perjury claim by UPSC

The court asked the former IAS probationer to submit her reply before the next date of hearing on September 26

The Delhi High Court on Thursday (September 19, 2024) sought the stand of Puja Khedkar on the Union Public Service Commission’s (UPSC) allegation that the former IAS probationer committed perjury by making a false statement in relation to her anticipatory bail plea.

The court asked Ms. Khedkar to submit her reply before the next date of hearing on September 26., 2024

Editorial | A case of excesses: On the Puja Khedkar case

In its fresh application, the UPSC submitted that Ms. Khedkar, in her rejoinder, made an “absolutely false” statement on affidavit that the commission had collected her biometrics during personality tests.

The commission sought the initiation of an inquiry and appropriate proceedings against her for the violation. It, additionally, stated that in another proceeding pending in the High Court, Ms. Khedkar had committed “perjury”.

The UPSC had previously claimed that Ms. Khedkar made a false statement that she had not been served with the order by which her candidature was cancelled and she came to know of it only through the press release issued by the commission.

The UPSC had said the July 31 communication by which Ms. Khedkar’s candidature was cancelled was communicated to her on her registered email ID the same day. Last week, the court asked Ms. Khedkar to file a reply to the UPSC’s application.

Interim protection

Ms. Khedkar has been accused of cheating and wrongly availing of Other Backward Classes and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination. She has denied all allegations against her. The court has earlier granted her interim protection from arrest in the case.

The UPSC, in its fresh application, said, “The claim that the commission collected her biometrics is absolutely false 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 biometric (eyes and fingerprints) during her personality test or carried out any 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,” it added.

“There is little doubt in the conclusion that the conduct of Ms. Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar amounts to perjury,” it asserted.

Ms. Khedkar’s counsel, on the other hand, termed the application a “pressure tactic”.

Published - September 19, 2024 09:42 pm IST