SC directs former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar to appear before Delhi Police on May 2
New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday directed former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar, accused of cheating, and wrongly availing of OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination, to appear before Delhi Police on May 2.
A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma said no coercive steps will be taken against Khedkar till May 21, the next date of hearing.
"It appears there has been no concrete investigation against the petitioner as such. In the circumstances, we direct the petitioner to appear before the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Central Range, Crime Branch, 2d Floor, Kamla Market Police Station, Delhi on May 2, 2025, at 10.30 am," the bench said.
The order added, "It is needless to observe that the respondent/police authority is at liberty to interrogate the petitioner on May 2 and/or on any other date on which she may be summoned for the purpose of investigation."
The bench ordered no coercive steps, such as arrest, against Khedkar till the next hearing.
"The aforesaid interim protection has been granted to the petitioner herein subject to the petitioner cooperating with the investigation to be carried out by the respondent/police authority," the bench said and directed Delhi Police to conclude the probe expeditiously.
Additional solicitor general S V Raju, representing Delhi Police, stressed on Khedkar's custodial interrogation.
On January 15, the top court granted her protection from arrest and sought the response of the Delhi government and the UPSC on her plea seeking anticipatory bail.
Her counsel had then argued that the Delhi High Court made strong observations against Khedkar and dismissed her anticipatory bail plea.
Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting facts in her application for the 2022 UPSC civil services examination for availing herself of reservation benefits.
She had refuted all the allegations against her.
While dismissing her anticipatory bail plea, the high court found a strong prima facie case against Khedkar, indicating the need for an investigation to unearth the "larger conspiracy" to manipulate the system.
Khedkar was granted the interim protection from arrest when the high court issued a notice on her anticipatory bail plea on August 12, 2024, extending it from time to time.
The UPSC initiated a series of actions against Khedkar, including lodging of a criminal case, for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking her identity, while Delhi Police lodged an FIR against her for various offences.
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Eggs safe for consumption, cancer risk claims unfounded: FSSAI
New Delhi (PTI): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has categorically dismissed recent claims linking eggs to cancer risk, terming them "misleading, scientifically unsupported and capable of creating unnecessary public alarm".
In a statement issued on Saturday, the food safety regulator clarified that eggs available in the country are safe for human consumption and that reports alleging the presence of carcinogenic substances in eggs lack a scientific basis.
The clarification comes in response to media reports and social media posts claiming detection of nitrofuran metabolites (AOZ) -- substances purportedly linked to cancer -- in eggs sold in India.
FSSAI officials emphasised that the use of nitrofurans is strictly prohibited at all stages of poultry and egg production under the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011.
The regulator explained that an Extraneous Maximum Residue Limit (EMRL) of 1.0 µg/kg has been prescribed for nitrofuran metabolites -- but solely for regulatory enforcement purposes. This limit represents the minimum level that can be reliably detected by advanced laboratory methods and does not indicate that the substance is permitted for use.
"Detection of trace residues below the EMRL does not constitute a food safety violation nor does it imply any health risk," an FSSAI official said.
FSSAI said India's regulatory framework is aligned with international practices. The European Union and the United States also prohibit the use of nitrofurans in food-producing animals and employ reference points for action or guideline values only as enforcement tools.
Differences in numerical benchmarks across countries reflect variations in analytical and regulatory approaches, not differences in consumer safety standards, the authority noted.
On public health concerns, FSSAI cited scientific evidence indicating that there is no established causal link between trace-level dietary exposure to nitrofuran metabolites and cancer or other adverse health outcomes in humans.
"No national or international health authority has associated normal egg consumption with increased cancer risk," the regulator reiterated.
Addressing reports related to the testing of a specific egg brand, officials explained that such detections are isolated and batch-specific, often arising from inadvertent contamination or feed-related factors, and are not representative of the overall egg supply chain in the country.
"Generalising isolated laboratory findings to label eggs as unsafe is scientifically incorrect," the statement said.
FSSAI urged consumers to rely on verified scientific evidence and official advisories, reiterating that eggs remain a safe, nutritious, and valuable component of a balanced diet when produced and consumed in compliance with food safety regulations.
