Smoking in public: Bengaluru resident, Atul Aggarwal forced to pay bribe
Atul Aggarwal was going to catch a train to Chennai from the Bengaluru Cantonment Railway Station, at 2:30 PM on February 17, this year. Prior to boarding his train, Atul had decided to go a little further from the station and light up a cigarette. “I was smoking in a secluded spot around 2 PM near the Railway Station. A police jeep pulled up and I immediately agreed to pay a fine for the act of public nuisance committed,” said Atul. The police officer however did not like the sound of paying a fine.
The Police officer as Atul noted, came in a usual Police PCR Van having the registration number KA 02 G276 and refused to issue a fine. He asked a bribe of Rs. 200 and threatened Atul that he will take him to the station if he does not pay up. The unidentified policeman even threatened to seize Atul’s license if he did not pay up. Atul decided to pay him a bribe of Rs. 100 after much negotiations just so he could save himself from missing his train.
Sharing his experience to I Paid A Bribe, Atul said he hastily hopped on the train and called up the Bengaluru Police Control Center. He recalled his encounter and was reassured that action will be taken. Within a week, he was issued a receipt to his address for paying Rs. 100 for smoking in public.
Atul was happy that the issue got resolved by the Police Department in a short time and hopes that money does not float in the wrong hands like this. He further reiterates on how vital it is for every citizen to fight the system by discouraging bribe takers.
- By Aruna Krishnan