Kiran Bedi's VRS request accepted by Govt

New Delhi, Dec 26: Supercop Kiran Bedi's request for voluntary retirement from service (VRS) has been accepted by the government.

Home Ministry sources said here today a notification issued on December 24 has noted that the President was pleased to accept the resignation of Dr Bedi and she be relieved from immediate effect. The Director General of Bureau of Police Research and Development is the first woman IPS officer. The IPS officer from Delhi and Union Territory cadre, who held several important post during her 35 years of distinguished service.

She had given her request for VRS following supersession for the post of Delhi Police Commissioner by Y S Dhadwal.

While seeking VRS two years ahead of her superannuation, the Magsaysay Award winner for social service had said she wanted to be relieved of her post to 'focus on her social work commitments and academics.' However, since the decision came almost four months after she went on protest leave expressing disappointment over denial of the post of Delhi Police Commissioner, speculations were rife about the reasons behind her decision. Though some efforts were made to dissuade her from VRS, Dr Bedi remained firm on her decision following which the home ministry granted her request.

Dr Bedi, who has also served the United Nations as Police Adviser in the Peacekeeping Department and was conferred the UN medal for outstanding service, had said her decision for premature retirement was well thought out.

She has expressed desire to do ''something creative, dynamic and challenging.'' Voluntary works in rural areas and slums along with academics would be her focus, she said. However, she denied any plan to join politics.

Initially her husband and later Dr Bedi also hinted that being superseded for the Delhi Police Commissioner's post may have played a role in ''triggering her decision to quit the police force'.' Though stating that not being given the prestigious job of Delhi Police Commissioner despite being the seniormost was not the ''sole reason'' behind her decision, the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development had said ''it may have indirectly played its role in triggering the decision.'' The supercop, who runs two NGOs and has also written a book, said she had strong reasons to leave the police force and she could do a lot of things in the field of social service and educational research.

She said she aims to espouse many causes and express her creativity more effectively. However, Dr Bedi denied that she was going for any international assignment.

Dr Bedi, whose work on prison reforms as in-charge of Tihar Jail, has been widely appreciated, has also initiated many research projects for police reforms during her tenure as the DG of BPR&D.

UNI