Mumbai: Engaged in a verbal duel with Maharashtra Minister Suresh Jain, social worker Anna Hazare on July 9 adopted a defensive stance admitting "irregularities" in the management of trusts run by him but denied allegations of graft and said he was willing to face a probe by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or ACB.

"The charges levelled against me is a brazen attempt to muzzle the right to agitate in a democracy and is government's ploy to derail my agitation against corruption from August 9", the anti-corruption crusader told a press conference.

Answering a barrage of questions about the functioning of trusts formed by him, Hazare said that audits of trusts run by him might not have been furnished to the charity commissioner, as alleged by Jain. "It may be an irregularity but was not done purposely and cannot be termed as corruption", he asserted.

Jain, whom Hazare had accused of indulging in corrupt practices, in a media briefing, had levelled allegations about the functioning of Hazare's trusts.

Hazare blamed the trust's Chartered Accountant for failing to furnish audit reports to the charity commissioner. later, he claimed that audit reports have been submitted and "they can get misplaced".

Jain, quoting a certificate from the commissioner's office, had accused that Hind Swaraj Trust, headed by Hazare, had not furnished audit reports for last three years.

"He (Jain) is in the government. instead of levelling charges to mislead people, why can't he initiate an inquiry against me or put me behind the bars", questioned Hazare.

PTI