- I Paid A Bribe
- 13 years ago
- 1610 views
Swap Amounts between School & us!
- Education
- Original Degree Certificate
- Paid INR 25,000
I purchased a residential plot in this village with fully legitimate process. I was fortunate to have the reseller who did not want a penny in cash (black). So I was happy that my transaction was through without any fraud & the Sale Deed amount & actual Sale Price were same.
When it came to getting the Gram Panchayat permission for building the house, the committee members asked me how much I can pay. I asked, "what is your suggestion"? Then they said, "you'll have to give something to the education fund of our village". I said, "I'll give Rs 10000 to the fund". This was absolutely OK with me as I wanted to do something for the village where I was foreseeing myself in the future. Then they said, "keep Rs 10000 for the fund & Rs 5000 for us; total 15000 - without which your application wouldnt be processed". This was discussed over phone. When I reached there in person to conclude the 'deal', they said, "it was a mistake & now we want Rs 20000 only for us & on top of it whatever you want to give to the education fund". I said, "I can raise my budget max upto Rs 20000 all inclusive. And I dont want to reduce the Education fund money" (Rs 10000). Then they started saying, "keep Rs 1000 for the school & make Rs 20000 for us". Finally I negotiated Rs 5000 for the school & Rs 15000 for the committee members. Paid the fund amount by cheque, arranged for the cash for the members & got the permission.
I terribly regret having done this. But I guess the alternative was too unthinkable. The idea of me or my wife or my ageing father shuttling 100 kms between that village & Mumbai only to be ignored & insulted by the members without getting the permission for months together was simply scary. And even if I had gotten the permission 'forcibly' in a clean way, I bet they would have turned hostile on my construction activity. As it is they have given me a pre-condition to purchase all the building construction material from them only.
One funny (& dangerous) part is none of the 'members' who brokered this deal with me were the real members of Gram Panchayat. It was their wives who were Up-Sarpanch, Panchayat Samiti ********** etc etc. And their husbands were carrying out all their panchayat affairs.
I am really sorry to have done this. I dont know me telling the truth here is going to help to what extent, but I wholeheartedly thank 'ipaidbribe.com', who gave me an opportunity to confess. While writing this I revisited this incident & got to know how degraded I was doing this.