Being upright turns out costly

A big danger to the constitutional governance is looming large in country with pervasive corruption in all crucial sectors. In order to keep citizens away from the scourge of corruption, a month back DNA initiated a campaign - ‘Grounding the corrupt’. The exhilarating response of our readers on this anti-graft campaign has only made our campaign stronger.

Citizens from all parts of the country have written to the DNA about their brush with corruption and red tape. In this short span, DNA has also got success in helping a few individuals in pursuing their case forward.  The series highlights day-to-day corruption woes of ordinary citizens. It includes corruption involved in procuring basic documents like a ration card, passport or a driving license. This might well include corruption involved in getting a birth or death certificate.

Or else be it a case of delayed or rejected income tax refund or an insurance claim denied by the public sector insurer, the series aims to highlight such cases and more with a view to take the fight against corruption to the grassroots level. To widen the scope you may also send us corruption or red tape episodes involved in the small and medium enterprise to big business.

DNA would ensure your identity is protected so long you have a genuine case backed by solid documentary evidence. Each case would be scrutinized for its veracity. In today’s episode, we highlight three cases.

Case 1: Sacked for being honest
City: Mumbai
Department: Union Bank of India, Mumbai
Case study: An employee of the Union Bank of India (UBI), who was with the bank’s legal department at Mumbai, alleged, “I was once asked by the chief law officer to change my opinion and act on one case, which I denied firmly. As a result, I was threatened to be sacked.” Aggrieved with this, the complainant wrote to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), New Delhi on 6 November 2010, and the complaint got transferred to Central Vigilance Office, UBI on 25 January 2011 for action. The complainant alleged that he was threatened that he would be sacked from the panel when he complained to the top most management of the company. 

However, the management didn’t find any favour in his complaint and UBI, Mumbai that his complaint was baseless and accordingly he was delisted from the panel of advocates of the bank for reason of deficiency in service. “I even filed an RTI on 17 October’2011 but half of my questions were unanswered and the appeal was disposed of,” alleged the complainant.

Case 2: Forced to drive under pain
City: Delhi
Department: Delhi Transport Corporation
Case study: A 49-year-old driver at DTC alleged that he was forced to drive a bus even after he requested to change his department considering his health problems. He alleged, “I was diagnosed with piles and acute cervical pain leading to hospitalisation. Then I pleaded for being relieved from the driver’s duty but my plea was not heard.” The complainant said he was not only denied medical reimbursement but also forced to drive in poor medical condition. When he took leave, his salary was slashed and his duty schedule cut drastically resulting in huge monthly loss. “I tried to meet the chairman and GM, but I wasn’t allowed to meet them. No one paid attention to me,” he alleged. However, after three years of unexplained suffering, the complainant didn’t give up and kept up the pressure to seek justice.

Zee Helpline, a weekly helpline show against corruption on Zee News, aired his cause, and he finally got justice and got posted as a security guard at Wazirpur depot in just ten days.