• I Paid A Bribe
  • 13 years ago
  • 2276 views

Inside the high walls

Reported on November 10, 2011 from Bellary , Karnataka  ι Report #3461

It's a fateful day my brother was booked was booked and jailed for renting out a commercial building. The tenant stocked PDS rice, and on getting information of an imminent raid, absconded the scene. My brother was jailed on 19th Oct 2011 at Bellary Central Jail as an upright DC wanted an immediate action, in spite of the police knowing that the building owner in not a culprit. It's another story that the local police are well aware of the actual culprit indulging in this business for more than a decade.

The actual story unfolded in the Central Jail of Bellary.

On 20th Oct I visited the Jail with breakfast for my brother. A jail staff demamded money. I paid Rs 100 and was shown another staff and was told to pay him too. I paid another Rs 100. He said that it's not enough. I was left with another Rs 50 to share with him. A pretty costly breakfast of Rs 250 for my brother.
Another Rs 10000 (yes, Rupees Ten Thousand) to keep him in decent cell, paid on 20th Oct 2011.
Rs 200 to ********** my brother in the designated visiting room, on 20th Oct.
Rs 3000 (Rupees Three Thousand) to ********** my brother inside the jail, on 20th Oct.
Rs 1000 to deliver the lunch that we brought, 20th Oct.
Rs 2000 to a inmate (lakshman) to take care of my brother, 20th Oct .
Rs 1000 for delivering dinner that we brought, 20th Oct.
My patience came to an end the next day.
On 21st Oct I did not pay any bribe and started shouting on jail staff.
The release orders were brought to the jail at 3:30 pm on 21st Oct, and the jail staff demanded money. I said I'll pay after the person is released. We were waiting till 5:50 outside the jail. As the time to release is nearing and the bribe being not paid, the jailer left out in his jeep. After enquiring the staff told that the jailer went to his farm house and may return back at 8 pm. At this point I told the inmate (Lakshman) to inform somenbody that if my brother is not released in another 30 minutes, a complaint will be lodged with the DGP. It took the jailer to return back to jail in 15 minutes, and enquired with me for what I was shouting. I told him that inspite of paying Rs 18000 for a single day and the release getting delayed (in spite of court orders) the same will definetely be complained to the DGP.
My brother was released in flat 10 minutes.

The big point ?
Assuming an average bribe of Rs 1000 per inmate per day for 50% of the inmates takes the total to Rs 250000 a day. That's 75 lakhs a month.
That's a huge money to many of us.
That's could be a turning point for any journalist.
That may be a big story for any newspaper.

What is your reaction after reading this report?