From fear of victimisation to simple economics, Mumbai’s motivations for greasing palms are many. Speak Up gets some candid confessions out of citizens.
From fear of victimisation to simple economics, Mumbai’s motivations for greasing palms are many. Speak Up gets some candid confessions out of citizens
City speak
Officials blatantly ask for it
Corruption is widespread in all government offices. Your work won't get done if you don't pay bribe. It's shocking to see officials brazenly asking for a bribe. Even if you have all the documents and proofs, your work won't get done unless you grease a few palms. Even high ranking officials aren’t immune to this.
It’s no use lodging a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), as all officials are in cahoots with each other. If you complain against any official, you can expect trouble from the others.
Other annoying instances are when these BMC inspectors come to check the licences. Even after we show them the required documents, they shamelessly ask for chai
paani. If you tell them that the seniors are not around, they hand over some form and ask you to come to the office, thereby making your life difficult.
Having a stringent law is not enough. You need to ensure that people follow them. Even if citizens diligently follow procedures, officials go out of their way to extract bribes. — Samikshya Tambulwadkar
The only way work gets done
Few years ago, I filed a complaint about my motorbike which was stolen. People told me nothing would come out of it unless I gave chai paani to the police officials.
I believed otherwise. Till date, there is no information about my bike. I spent a lot of money doing the rounds of the police station and am spending a lot more traveling to work without a bike. In hindsight, I should have bribed them.
I don't know how to report corrupt officials to the authorities and I am sure there is no such thing as an Anti-Corruption Bureau. Even if such a department exists, I wouldn't complain against police officials. I don't want to take these people on and mess up my life. — Asif Sheikh. Colaba
Bribing is economical
A few weeks ago, a policeman caught me using my cellphone while driving. The fine was too steep. So I decided to get away with a small fee. Why complain about such officers when they help you get away easily? And what's the guarantee that the Anti-Corruption Bureau itself doesn't have corrupt officials? You can’t trust anybody these days. — Vikram Aneja. Kurla
I have no time to spare
Today, bribes have become necessary. I bribed a police officer two weeks ago because he claimed he didn't have a receipt book and wanted to confiscate my license. I had no time to go to the RTO for all this. So when he asked for a bribe, I paid Rs50 and got myself out of the mess.
I don't think anyone has the time to go to the ACB for bribes as small as Rs50 or Rs20. Besides, do they take any action after we complain? And how many times can someone complain to get one official booked? — Kanchan Tahiliani
Staying honest is tougher
I have not bribed anybody till date. But I have had to go through plenty of hardship for not doing so. The problem is I don't know how to approach someone with a bribe.
A few months ago, I tried to bribe a police official to get my passport verification done. But he blasted the daylights out of me. I came to know later that since I tried to bribe him in front of his senior officials, he behaved in such a manner. — Jinmay Shah. Borivali
‘Corrupt officials should be shamed on TV’
Here are a few suggestions to improve the anti-corruption mechanism.
- The ACB should have zonal bureaus for better reach and wider awareness.
- ACB complaint boxes should be fixed at all police stations and BMC offices.
- Contact details of the ACB should be advertised at prominent public places. This information should also be beamed on news channels once every day.
- Complainants should be provided with travelling cost and service-loss cost by the ACB.
- The ACB should provide marked currency notes in advance to save 'trapping time'.
- Start a special fast-track court that only deals with corruption cases.
- Photographs of corrupt officials should be broadcast on TV just like Singapore, so that more and more people are aware of the wrong doers.
- The ACB should give protection to the complainants. — Mahendra
If you wish to file a complaint:
- Complaints can be registered online. However, the identity of the complainant will be verified before further action is taken. In a trap complaint, the comlainant will have to participate in the trap procedures.
- You can complain through e-mail but you must give your contact details and the details of the public servant, such as his name, his designation, his department, nature of work for which he is demanding the bribe and the amount of bribe. In such cases, the complainant will be contacted for pursuing the case.
- It is advisable to lodge a complaint before paying the bribe. However, in certain cases it can be lodged later.
For more information, visit http://acbmaharashtra.org
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}