Being Superseded for top job triggered VRS decision: Kiran Bedi

New Delhi, Nov 29 (UNI) Supercop Kiran Bedi today admitted that being superseded for the Delhi Police Commissioner's post may have played a role in ''triggering her decision to quit the police force'' and said that she now wanted to become her own master and lead a fulfilling life devoted to social causes and educational research.

The first woman IPS officer, who recently applied for Voluntary Retirement from Service, said her quitting the job after 35 years was not a ''personal affair'' but gave an important message.

''I have received calls from so many police officials who have lauded my decision and said that they also want to quit the service, but for better choice.'' 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 said ''it may have indirectly played its role in triggering the decision.'' Refuting rumours that she quit as Home Minister Shivraj Patil did not fulfill his ''promise of giving her an important assignment'' in return for her joining back from her ''protest leave'' following Mr Y S Dadhwal's appointment as Delhi Police Commissioner, Ms Bedi said that it was not so.

''At that time also I had clarified that I was rejoining to give respect to the chair of the Home Minister and the person. There was no question of any promise or its not being fulfilled.'' Asked whether she had met the Home Minister before submitting her application for VRS, Ms Bedi said that she did not meet Mr Patil as he would have convinced her not to quit. And she was determined to ''be free and become master of my own time and destiny this time.'' Ms Bedi revealed that only her father and sister knew about her decision beforehand and she went on five days leave as her sister was coming to Delhi for a vacation and the media got a hint of her decision and highlighted it.

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