New Delhi, Nov 27: Delhi Police today slapped a case of cheating against Kiran Bedi for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for her NGOs in line with a court's directive, but the activist claimed she has “sound evidence and endurance” to deal with the FIR.
A case under Sections 420 (cheating), 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code was registered by the Crime Branch this morning following the court direction, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ashok Chand told PTI.
The court had yesterday ordered the registration of a case against the former IPS officer on a complaint filed by Delhi-based lawyer Devinder Singh Chauhan despite opposition from Delhi Police.
The court, while ordering registration of the FIR, did not heed to contentions of Delhi police that the complainant lawyer had no ground and if there was any misappropriation of funds, the donors, who gave money to Bedi's NGOs India Vision Foundation and Navjyoti Foundation, should have moved the complaint.
Chauhan had alleged that she had “looted” various paramilitary forces and police organisations in the name of imparting free computer training under the banner of her NGOs. Reacting to the registration of the case, Bedi, who is already under attack for overcharging her hosts, said, such things happen to people who do good and that she knew how to deal with adverse situations.
“Having been a cop, I have the sound evidence and endurance to deal with this FIR. Time will tell. Fact of life is that things happen to those who do more. “Swami Vivekananda has said this. I am a maximalist. I do plenty. I do more good things. I will do even more good things. Life is meant to do more,” Bedi told PTI.
This is the second instance in the past two months that the prominent Team Anna member has landed in controversy, the first being allegations of overcharging her hosts by inflating travel bills.
Bedi ridiculing politicians during Anna Hazare's August fast at Ramlila Maidan for a strong Lokpal Bill had provoked sharp reactions from MPs who had given privilege notices against her.
Asked whether people gheraoed her house or assaulted her in the wake of the new developments, Bedi said she knows how to deal with such situations.
“I have no problem. I will deal with it. I cannot answer hypothetical questions,” she said.
Team Anna sources said it is now for Anna Hazare to take a final call on Bedi's continuance in the team. Prominent Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal incidentally is in Ralegan Siddhi where Hazare is staying.
Sources said Kejriwal's visit has no connection with the new developments and that he meets Hazare every two weeks to apprise him about the developments of Lokpal movement.
Former Team Anna member Swami Agnivesh termed the registration of case as a “very serious matter” and said Bedi should explain her conduct to clear her name.
“It is not that somebody has gone to a police station with a complaint and police registers a case. The court has taken cognisance and has ordered police to register a case. This shows the seriousness. This is a very serious matter,” Agnivesh said.
Yesterday, Chauhan, in his complaint, alleged Bedi had received donations of more than Rs 50 lakh from Microsoft for imparting free computer training to kids and families of BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF personnel and other state police organisations under the banner of her trust ‘India Vision Foundation'.
“Kiran Bedi got permission of four community centres by misleading undertaking that she will not charge any fee from students out of these courses but contrary to the undertaking, she is charging Rs 15,000 per student and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), despite receiving various complaints, is not acting against Bedi,” he said.
It was also alleged that Bedi misused the names of various government organisations, including banks, for showing them as donors to get other donations.
He claimed that Bedi's NGOs received Rs 6,000 per month for each centre from Vedanta Foundation for giving facilities such as land and electricity. However, such facilities were being provided by police organisations, the complaint said.
“Neither Kiran Bedi nor any of her associates disclosed this fact to Vedanta that they are illegally charging Rs 6,000 for each centre for the expenses rent of the building and charges of electricity. In order to cheat Vedanta, Bedi entered into a ‘donation agreement' for illegally sharing of the amount received from the centres of BSF, CISF, UP Police and others,” the lawyer alleged.
He said Microsoft discontinued their fundings to her trust after it came to know about the “cheating and fraud.”
