Bedi should stop giving lectures on corruption: Agnivesh
October 20th, 2011 - 7:58 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) Kiran Bedi, a key Team Anna member, should stay away from public life till an inquiry clears her of allegations that she charged inflated travel expenses from institutions that invited her for seminars or meetings, social activist Swami Agnivesh said Thursday.
“Bedi is a former police officer and has to set some standards on conduct and probity,” Agnivesh, who was ousted from Team Anna in August for his proximity to the government, told IANS here.
“I hope she herself will submit to a inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or other agencies,” he added.
Saying that “legality was one issue, but conduct was a more important issue”, Agnivesh said: “Till such an inquiry is completed, she should stay away from public life and stop giving lectures against corruption.”
By manipulating income tax accounts, Bedi has diverted public funds to accounts under her individual control, he alleged.
Bedi has told reporters that organisations that invited her “voluntarily” paid her for business class tickets but she travelled economy and the money saved went to her NGO India Vision Foundation.
Referring to a report in the Indian Express, Bedi told reporters: “The organisations voluntarily pay me for business class tickets but I duly inform them and save money for travels which are for good causes but cannot provide remuneration… there is no personal gain.”
The daily also claimed to be in possession of bills, invoices and copies of cheques which show that Bedi, who is entitled to a rebate on Air India tickets as a gallantry award winner, pays discounted fares but charges her host institutions the full fare.
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- Giving fake bills is wrong: Kejriwal - Oct 20, 2011
- Kejriwal siphoned funds for private trust: Agnivesh - Oct 22, 2011
- Aide quits Bedi's NGO over travel row - Oct 25, 2011
- Team Anna dismisses Agnivesh's allegations - Oct 24, 2011
- Delhi court orders Kiran Bedi to be booked for cheating - Nov 26, 2011
- Anna movement cannot open bank account: Kejriwal - Oct 28, 2011
- Bedi to return excess airfare to Indore NGO - Oct 30, 2011
- Delhi Police files FIR against Kiran Bedi - Nov 27, 2011
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- Probe against Bedi still on, police tell court - Jan 07, 2012
Tags: air india, award winner, business class, cbi, central bureau of investigation, cheques, gallantry, host institutions, india vision, indian express, individual control, invoices, key team, kiran bedi, personal gain, probity, remuneration, swami, tax accounts, travel expenses