Pondy CM urged to seek CBI probe into charges against Bedi

Puducherry Chief Minister's parliamentary secretary K Lakshminarayanan and government whip R K R Anandaraman Monday urged Narayanasamy to demand a CBI probe into the mobilisation of funds from private companies by Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, to desilt water bodies here.

Jointly addressing reporters here, Lakshminarayanan and Anandaram alleged that Bedi has been 'misusing' her position and authority by seeking funds from the companies under the corporate social responsibility (CSR) scheme.

They claimed that there was a committee with guidelines set up by the Centre to mobilise funds under the CSR but Bedi ignored the panel and allegedly set up a desk in her office to contact the private organisations for funds.

"Misusing the authority itself is a clear case of corrupt practice and irregularities," they said.

How many water bodies have been identified for desilting?, how much money has been raised and who the contractors were to press into service earthmovers for the desilting? they asked and said only the CBI could bring to light the truth.

The chief minister had written to the union home minister Rajnath Singh seeking a judicial enquiry into the matter.

The CPI(M) too had taken exception to the alleged 'arbitrary style of functioning' of Bedi and said the party would picket her office Raj Nivas on October 25.

Secretary of local unit of the party, R Rajangam said funds were earmarked in the budget for desilting so there was no need for Bedi to evolve projects and seek the funds.

He demanded a white paper on the issue and urged the central government to recall Bedi since she had been at loggerheads with Narayanasamy on various issues from the day she assumed office.

AIADMK also had urged the Centre to order a probe into the charges against Bedi over the issue of raising funds for the desilting project.