- Bribe Hotline
- 12 years ago
- 1903 views
Caught between a Rock and a Hard Place: Passports and Police
I had applied for a renewal of my old passport in March 2012, to get my wife's name endorsed on it. For some reason, a Pre-verifcation by the police was initiated, even though my address on the passport was to remain the same. At first, the police officers did not visit my house for a long period of time, following which I went to the Police Station to find out the reason forthe delay. Even though my application had been lying there, they had not bothered to contact me at my residence. The Police Officer then asked me to bring all the requisite documents to the Station the next day, following which, he assured, the verification report would be sent back to the Passport office. When I went there the next day, I gave him all the documents, and signed wherever he asked me to. He then told me that the procedure was complete and I could go. Just as I was walking out, he called me back and asked me if I would like to give him some "kharcha". I refused saying I do not give bribes, and left the Station. A few days later I got a call from the Station saying that some form had to be filled out by me, and the officer had to come home to complete it in front of me. Why this could not have been done on the previous day, I do not know, but I asked him to come home immediately as I was eager to get my passport. When he arrived, he ticked some boxes on the form and asked me some details about my previous foreign travels. I gave him all the details, after which he said the process was complete. I accompanied him to the gate, where he asked me if I was giving hims something. I once again told him that I did not want to give a bribe, I did not believe in it, and just because he had the power to refuse me my passport, he was abusing his power. He said if I was willing to give him something, it was fine, else he would get in touch with my father later. I told him that my father was out of town, and asked if this meant that the passport would be delayed further. He told me to rest assured and left. It has been a week. The status of my application has not changed online, and I have still not received my passport.