Dishonest government officials in Gujarat commit graft ‘with a heart’. Being quite ‘considerate’ about the financial burden their prohibitive bribe amounts put on vulnerable citizens, many have taken a leaf out of the bank loan system to allow the payment in easy monthly instalments instead of a lumpsum.
In March this year, a Rs 21 lakh bribe was demanded from a person in an SGST bogus billing scam. The amount was equated into nine EMIs of Rs 2 lakh each and one of Rs 1 lakh, lest a lumpsum payment becomes too burdensome for the payer.
On April 4, a deputy sarpanch and taluka panchayat member in Surat demanded Rs 85,000 bribe for getting a villager’s farm levelled. Looking at the villager’s tight financial condition, the accused, unwilling to let the money go, put forth the EMI option – Rs 35,000 upfront, and the balance in three equal installments.
More recently, two cops fled with Rs 4 lakh bribe they had demanded from a Sabarkantha resident. This amount was just the first installment of a total of Rs 10 lakh they had demanded.
In another case, a cybercrime police official split the Rs 10 lakh he had demanded into four installments.
Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials say such a practice is on the rise and this year alone has seen ten such cases reported.
“A person unable to afford to buy a house, car or a valuable by making full payments avails of a loan on EMIs. Corrupt officials are applying the same practice to bribes now,” said a senior ACB officer.
They take advantage of those who have either been approached by police in connection with a crime or someone wishing to avail govt welfare schemes, and demand hefty bribes. Since the person is usually poor and in a vulnerable situation, he or she cannot pay entire bribe upfront,” the officer added.
Corrupt officials do not want to let them get away and lose the opportunity to make a fast buck. Hence, the instalment scheme, the officer said.
Director, ACB, Gujarat and DGP (law and order) Shamsher Singh said, “The ACB has been able to report only those cases wherein people have approached us after paying the initial instalments,” said Singh.
A case reported on April 26, an CID (crime) inspector demanded Rs 50,000 bribe to articles including laptops and computers seized in connection with an offence. He split the amount into five installments of Rs 10,000 each. Earlier this month, a Class II officer with Gujarat Water Supply and Sewerage Board equated the Rs 1.20 lakh he had demanded from a contractor to get is invoices cleared, into four payments of Rs 30,000.
Also Read: What Happens To Jailed LS Poll Winners?
