The central government has accepted Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi's [Images] plea a month after she had applied for voluntary retirement.

She is the country's first woman IPS officer.

The government decided to relieve Bedi, who was holding the post of the director-general of the bureau of police research and development, from her duties on Monday.

"I have received the letter relieving me," Bedi told PTI. She has since given up her charge at the BPR and D.

Sulking after being ignored for the Delhi police commissioner's post, the Magsaysay awardee submitted her application on November 15, saying she wanted to pursue strong academic and social interests.

The government had last week indicated that it would continue to avail of the services of Bedi for its project of National Police Mission, but she rejected the offer saying she was not willing to work for the government anymore.

Putting pressure on the government to accept her application, Bedi moved an application for long leave from Monday till the end of the notice period on February 15.

She said she was going on leave to help expedite the appointment of my successor.

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The Amristsar-born officer has had an illustrious career that sometimes had been marked by controversies.

Known as 'Crane Bedi' for her firmness in dealing with traffic violations in Delhi three decades ago, she has won a number of awards, including the President's Gallantry Award.

She also had the honour of serving at the UN as police adviser in the peacekeeping department and had won a UN medal for outstanding service.

Bedi has also been rewarded for undertaking prison reforms during her tenure as head of Tihar Jail.

The 1972-batch officer had accused the government of ignoring her by appointing Y S Dadwal, two years junior to her, as Delhi police commissioner.

On her decision to take VRS, Bedi had said she could work from outside the system after trying to reform it from within.

"I now look forward to working with the government and not for the government," Bedi said.