Thaindian News

New Delhi, Oct 23 (IANS) Team Anna Sunday dismissed allegations by activist Swami Agnivesh that donations for its anti-graft stir were siphoned off by its member Arvind Kejriwal, even as Congress leader Digvijay Singh demanded a probe into the matter.

Team Anna member Manish Sisodia dismissed the allegations made by Swami Agnivesh that Kejriwal had siphoned off Rs.70-80 lakh belonging to India Against Corruption (IAC) and diverted the money to his private trust.

Sisodia said details regarding their accounts will be soon put on the website of Public Cause Research Foundation (PCRF), which had functioned as the secretariat for Hazare’s agitation under the banner of the IAC.

“Our accounts are already on the website. We have conducted a special audit for the last six months and by the month end we are putting the details on the website,” Sisodia said.

Sisodia also said that they had no animosity towards Swami Agnivesh. “He could have said something out of anger,” he added.

Sisodia said they had requested core committee members to be be trustees of PCRF.

He said they had announced that the donations were being collected in name of PCRF.

He also dismissed as “baseless” allegations that Hazare was upset with the team members.

Team Anna sources said that receipts for money collected during anti-graft agitation were being issued by PCRF and the fact was known to everyone associated with the movement.

“PCRF is a registered NGO which functioned as secretariat to the India Agaisnt Corruption movement,” a Team Anna member, who did not want to be quoted, told IANS.

She said while the PCRF website had accounts till March 31, 2011 on its website, a special audit was being conducted and six monthly accounts till Sept 30 will be posted on the website soon.

Meanwhile, former chief justice of India J.S. Verma hit out at another team member Kiran Bedi over allegations of overcharging institutions by inflating her travel expenses and said claiming money which one has not spent was “unacceptable.”

Bedi said there was a “pattern to defame” the members.

“Hang some of us if that helps…There is obviously a pattern to defame every member of Team Anna. It has been systematic from day one,” she said.

She said Team Anna was paying a personal cost for raising national concerns on rampant corruption and voter awareness to ensure the passing of the Jan Lokpal bill in parliament,” she said.

Bedi said people were aware of the machinations of the detractors and there was need to stay focused on the goal of getting the Jan Lokpal bill passed in the winter session.

“It is evident why sensitive and reputed persons shy away from speaking up, which leaves civil society without independent voices. This serves the vested interests,” she said.