CBI must be brought under Lokpal: Bedi

Indicating that inclusion of Prime Minister under Lokpal may not remain their priority, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Wednesday said that bringing the Central Bureau of Investigation under the ombudsman will make anti-corruption efforts more effective than any other measure.

Bedi said the anti-corruption watchdog without CBI is a "sabotaged Lokpal" which will defeat the very purpose of setting up such a mechanism.

"More than the Prime Minister, it is the CBI in Lokpal which will make it effective. Let's not get distracted. A united Opposition can call the bluff," she said.

She said CBI under Lokpal means all corruption exposed and "many embarrassed, losing false images. Will they vote against themselves?" She said Lokpal was supposed to be replacing government control over CBI.

Her comments came against the backdrop of Parliamentary Standing Committee coming up with three options on the issue of bringing Prime Minister within the ambit of Lokpal and leaving it to the "good sense" of Parliament to decide on the final choice.

Team Anna has been insisting on the inclusion of lower bureaucracy, setting up of Lokayuktas by a central law and Citizen's Charter in the Lokpal Bill.

The Hazare supporters had been rubbishing demands for exclusion of Prime Minister saying, law does not provide any immunity to Prime Minister and the post should be covered by Lokpal.