- I Paid A Bribe
- 13 years ago
- 1656 views
Caught for sitting in my car!
- Police
- Traffic Violations
- Paid INR 900
I was sitting in my car with my girl friend at 11 p.m. purely because I was tired of driving around and we already had dinner at a restaurant and still wanted to spend some more time with her and dint have any other place to go.
I parked my car by the road and was chatting up, holding hands inside the car. Police a police van parked right in front of us 6-7 policemen came out and I was asked to drive to the police chowki nearby whilst a police personnel accompanied us in the car. I was asked to call up my parents and my girl friend's parents at 11 (or maybe 11:30pm). I must clarify - we both are 24 year old adults, I was in possession of a legal licence and car papers. No rule states that 'parents' must know of their children's relationships especially when they are fully grown educated responsible adults.
I was harassed by the police for half an hour. I wanted to just drop my girl home before mid night. He said I had to pay an official fine worth 10000 rupees for "public display of affection". The figure rose to 14000 when they found out that my girl friend was catholic and I was a hindu. I had just landed in Mumbai and had little cash. I offered him a 20$ bill. He said he wanted rupees because it was too much trouble for him to get the dollars converted. We coughed up all the rupee notes we had and went home.
I had come back from the u.s. longing for some Indian-ness and love and care from my people. This is the welcome that I got. I had been debating with my friends in the u.s. how I want to go back to India and make a name there after my Master's degree. I was enraged and almost convinced that this is not the right place for me. I still have my doubts.
Harassing an innocent couple late at night was the preferred more of entertainment of 6-7 cops than being on the lookout for crime. They wasted a good hour of their 'worktime' milking as much cash as they could get. I would account this for robbery!