- Bribe Fighter
- 11 years ago
- 1754 views
I was asked for bribe for police verification
I had applied for a fresh passport ( normal) of my 2 month old son towards the end of January 2013. While the process at the Passport Seva Kendra at Bhikaiji Cama Place went smooth, which itself was testimony to the fact that my papers ( including annexures) were in order. It was after a period of 2-3 weeks that an SI for police verification came to my residence. I wasn't present at home. However, the SI left some papers and asked me to visit the police station at Nehru place, which is designated for passport verification. While his official duty of verifying that the child indeed stayed at that place could have been verified then and there, he left the place and left his phone number for me to visit the Nehru Place police station, on a particular date and time. I was suspecting that he was doing this for his personal gains, I went ahead nevertheless. The SI sat in a room with a single desk and no other staff, in the building adjoining the police station. For all applicants, he screened the papers and after getting satisfied, went out with the applicant to carry out "remainder" of the transaction. In my case too, he asked a few questions and I answered. After filing my papers, he took me outside the gate and started raising his eyebrows, obviously asking for a bribe and was being careful in not uttering an amount. Since I have never been comfortable with offering bribes, I resisted in a tactful fashion saying that I was only working on a meagre salary and I was getting the passport made not because we were headed abroad, but just to cover for any unforeseen travel requirements. When he did not budge, I had to take out Rs 150 from my pocket saying that was all that I could afford. He found that amount too paltry and he sarcastically cursed me for being a "cheap miser". However, he assured me that my work will be done. about 2 weeks later, the passport of my son was delivered, to me and my family's great relief.
I had even noted down the numbers on the currency notes, if I had to pay him a bribe. But that situation did not arise.