Court Seeks Clarification on UPSC’s Claims of Biometric Misrepresentation by Khedkar

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has approached the Delhi High Court regarding Pooja Khedkar, a disqualified IAS probationary officer, accusing her of committing perjury by submitting false documents to secure favorable orders.

The UPSC claims that Khedkar attempted to manipulate the judicial system and alleges that she filed a false affidavit with the intent to obtain advantageous rulings based on misleading information. They assert that her claim about the Commission collecting her biometrics is entirely false and aimed solely at deceiving the court. The UPSC has clarified that no biometric information—such as eye scans or fingerprints—was collected from any candidates during the civil services personality tests conducted so far.

Justice Subramonium Prasad has requested a response from Khedkar and scheduled the matter for hearing on September 26, in conjunction with her ongoing anticipatory bail application in the Delhi High Court. The court has previously granted her interim protection from arrest in this case.

The UPSC is represented by a team of lawyers, including Senior Advocate Naresh Kaushik and others. Khedkar has filed an anticipatory bail application related to an FIR alleging that she falsely presented her identity to exceed the permissible attempts in the civil services examination. This FIR was registered following a complaint by the UPSC against her.

Additionally, the Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Khedkar concerning the UPSC’s claim that she incorrectly asserted in her petition that she was not informed about the cancellation of her candidature. The UPSC contends that this communication was sent to her registered email address, contradicting her earlier statement to the court regarding the press release dated July 31, 2024.