- I Paid A Bribe
- 12 years ago
- 5654 views
Magarpatta Police Verification
- Police
- Background Verification
- Paid INR 200
Hi All, I am a resident of Pune (Magarpatta). I have my office at 5 minutes distance from my house. For those of you who dont know, Magarpatta is township in itself and consists of several high-rise societies. The security of Magarpatta is managed by a private agency.
The entry and exit into our society is guarded by the guards of this agency. I stay in Jasminium Society. In my initial days in 2011, it was very easy to get into the society. You just had to enter through one of the 3 main gates. But lately, the security officer of the society came and showed us a letter from the Police that told that no citizens will be allowed to enter the society if they did not carry a citizens card of Magarpatta. The letter was written in Marathi, none of which i could comprehend. But even then, we(me and my roomies) did not take it seriously. One night when i was coming from office(it was after 11), the gurads stopped me at the society gate and did not allow me to enter the premises. I was told that it was compulsory to get a citizens card made. It was a simple 10 minute procedure at the police station, which included me getting myself verified and that all my details were genuine. Then a visit to the Magarpatta Security and Administration Office, with the stamp from the police station affirming my details will get me the card made. All this to enter my own rented accomodation whose rent, bills and all things are taken care of by us on time.
Now please note that like most citizens, i do not like to meet the police for any reason. In my experience, they are the most rude public servants ever to have in any country, barring some police officers. Anyways, i left for the police station on a Friday afternoon (it was a long weekend), with all the required documents. My driving license, my company id card, electricity bills, and the rent agreement. I filled up the form and the police official stamped on the form. This stamp approves the fact that i have been verified and that all my backgrounds were clear. Whereas i thought, it included the police officials contacting police officials at my native place and getting my background thoroughly verified. Well, the price of convenience here was Rs 200. There is no receipt that is given for it. I checked the Pune Police website and that's when i got to know that this verification is free of cost. It is now that i understood, the meaning of the 10 minute procedure and why it was so easy. I lead a simple life and yes i am from IT background. had i gone through the official route, it would have taken me another three weeks to get it verified without bribe. As i work late nights, i do not have the stamina nor the capacity to argue with guards who have no mind of their own and are simply a small part of this huge corruption nexus between the police officials and the security agency of Magarpatta.
FYI: More than 7K tenants live in my society alone and there are 5 more societies like mine, where tenants are regularly not allowed to enter the premises if they do not have this prized-Magarpatta Citizens card. With the guards being so strict, the police station officials are surely minting money these days.