New Delhi: Hitting out at Team Anna member
Kiran Bedi, former Chief Justice of India J S Verma on Sunday said
claiming money which one has not spent was "unacceptable" and
"more upsetting" is the justification given by the ex-police
officer that she was spending for a cause.
"You cannot claim an amount which you have not spent. You
cannot seek reimbursement of money which you have not spent.
You cannot justify it," Verma told when asked to comment
on the controversy surrounding Bedi.
Bedi is in the eye of a controversy after allegations
were levelled against her that she overcharged organisations
by inflating her travel bills. She is also accused of availing
discounts on air tickets using her gallantry medal and then
overcharged those who invited her to deliver lectures.
In her defence, Bedi has said that she did not personally
benefit from this and that the money thus saved went to India
Vision Foundation, the NGO run by her, and was used for social
work.
Terming as "unacceptable" the claiming of money which was
not actually spent, Verma said, "I am surprised. Why did she,
a good officer, do that? The justification also came as a
surprise.
"It is more upsetting that the act itself...You commit a
wrong and make it worse by a justification which is more
interesting," he said.
He said everybody makes a mistake and what you have to do
is to you can try and rectify the mistakes. "Realise that you
made mistake, accept it and try and make amends," he added.
"Now I come here and I claim reimbursement for business
class, use some concessions and travel. Something like this,
pick your pocket and give it to someone else. I mean is this
the offence of pickpocketing not committed?" he said.
PTI
