Delhi HC refuses anticipatory bail to Puja Khedkar in UPSC cheating case
New Delhi (PTI): Delhi High Court on Monday refused to grant anticipatory bail to former IAS probationer Puja Khedkar in the criminal case lodged against her for alleged cheating and wrongly availing of OBC and disability quota benefits in the civil services examination.
"Anticipatory bail plea is dismissed. Interim protection from arrest is vacated," Justice Chandra Dhari Singh said while ruling on the plea.
Justice Singh said a strong prima facie case was made out against Khedkar and investigation was required to unearth the conspiracy.
It was a classic case of fraud committed on a constitutional body as well as society, the judge said.
Khedkar is accused of misrepresenting information in her application for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, 2022, to get reservation benefits.
The counsel for the Delhi Police as well as the complainant, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), opposed the plea for pre-arrest bail.
The UPSC was represented by senior advocate Naresh Kaushik and lawyer Vardhman Kaushik.
Khedkar has denied all allegations against her.
The UPSC initiated a series of actions against Khedkar in July, including lodging a criminal case, for availing attempts in the civil services exam by faking her identity.
The Delhi Police registered an FIR under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Information Technology Act and Right of Persons with Disabilities Act.
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Ex-SC judge V Ramasubramanian appointed new NHRC chief
New Delhi, Dec 23: Former Supreme Court judge V Ramasubramanian has been appointed the new chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, the rights panel said on Monday.
The post of NHRC chairperson had been lying vacant since Justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra completed his tenure on June 1.
Mishra served as the eighth chairperson of the rights panel and was appointed to its top post in June 2021.
On December 18, a high-powered committee led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting to select the next chairperson of the NHRC, sources earlier said.
A former chief justice of India or a retired judge of the top court are appointed as NHRC chairperson by the president on the recommendation of the selection committee.
Justice (retd) Ramasubramanian, a former judge of the apex court, has been appointed the chairperson of the NHRC, a senior official said, adding "the NHRC received the communication about the appointment today".
Former CJIs H L Dattu and K G Balakrishnan are among those who have headed the rights body in the past.
The NHRC, in a post on X, said, "Hon'ble President of India appoints Shri Justice V. Ramasubramanian (Retd.) as the Chairperson, and Shri Priyank Kanoongo and Dr. Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi (Retd.) as the Members of the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC), India."
Kanoongo earlier served as a chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
"And now as member of the NHRC, I will try to fulfil the responsibilities expected of me," he told on Monday.
Mishra, a former Supreme Court judge, was also the first non-CJI to be appointed to the NHRC chief post since the amendment of the Protection of Human Rights Act in 2019.
He had succeeded former Chief Justice of India H L Dattu.
Vijaya Bharathi Sayani, a member of NHRC, had become its acting chairperson with effect from June 2 after Mishra had demitted office.
