New Delhi: Everyone knows the story of an idealistic police officer in Delhi who towed away the car of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in August 1982. The woman happened to be India's first female IPS officer - Kiran Bedi - who is now the Bharatiya Janata Party's chief ministerial candidate for Delhi in the upcoming assembly elections.
However, in an interview to a private TV news channel, she has said that it was in-fact sub-inspector Nirmal Singh, who towed the car. At that time Nirmal Singh was reporting to Bedi, who was a deputy commissioner of police in the Delhi Police.
Nirmal Singh, who retired as Assistant Commissioner of Police two years ago, however, holds no grudges against her. On the contrary he gave his former boss thumbs up.
"Sure she should be CM! She is certainly qualified to," he said, adding she was a "good boss."
When asked about how he felt about her taking the credit he said, “She didn't steal credit, the credit is to the police," said.
Nirmal Singh narrated the incident to an English news channel saying “A superior by the name of Ramesh Handa challenged me to try removing the PM's car.”
Nirmal Singh said that when he arrived at Connaught Place, Indira's car was parked in no parking zone. The driver was at the shop. "I warned him and said please remove it or else I will have to tow."
When he didn't move it, Singh recounted, he challaned the vehicle, noting the PM's name.
"Departmental inquiries are routine but the file did go to Bedi as DCP and she backed me,'' he said.
Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi are pitted in a tough battle for the Chief Minister's post in Delhi.
