- I Paid A Bribe
- 13 years ago
- 1763 views
I was forced by the stupid law and currport officials
This is the loop hole in the laws and the curropt officials. I moved house from overseas and got my goods from the seaport in Mumbai. I paid all the relevant taxes, duties, etc. Since I lived in Thane, I am double dipped by the octroi rules, and I am told I have to pay a second set of duties to carry the goods out of Mumbai jurisdiction into Thane. The ********** is approximate, the values of all my goods were entered onto my passport to a value of about 25,000 and the jokers at the Octroi Naka stopped the truck for checking. Most of the things were clothes and utensils, basically I had moved lot stock and barrel back to India. The person demanded Rs 800 in hand or alternatively a receipt at 10% of the value of goods. I offered to pay the 10%, to which he became very angry and started screaming, that he will value the goods not according to what the customs have valued them at, but with their own standards and then he will charge 10% and he gave an estimate of about Rs 6,000 at the outset. Now, anyone would rather choose Rs 800 over Rs 6,000.
I had to pay this for two reasons
1. The government is screwing me over twice, why do I have to pay Octroi for Mumbai if I do not live there and that is the only nearest Port.
2. If I am taking my goods to my residence which is registered on my passport in Thane, why do I have to be subjected to this kind of harassment
3. The jokers at the Naka are Indian Policemen, which means they have special powers over and above a checking/evaluating officer and there needs not be told the stories of how corrupt, uneducated and rude these guys are. If they start a tamasha on the roadside, as an ordinary citizen, I do not think I can manage that, so I have to agree with the goondagardi of the police.
4. Who in the right mind would pay Rs 6,000 for a Rs 2,500 amount? so it was a better deal to pay Rs 800 as a bribe.
I am glad that I do not live there anymore, everytime I think of this I dread how much more the society will deteriorate by the termites of corruption.
Yes I have fueled this and who in the right mind would have paid Rs 6,000 instead, please come forward and tell me what is your source of income. I work hard and save my money, cannot spend it on ethics and ideals in a country where they are meaningless currency.