Corruption ki Jayy ho !!

It was already around 10.30PM, I was returning back from railway station by dropping Shuchi there. I was not sure about the roads, so was asking ricksha-wallas, fellow bikers for the MG road. I entered some road (Infantry road, came to know about it later) and was just about to race my bike to speed, I found some traffic inspectors ahead, before I make a U-Turn and run from behind, I already landed into their arms. OMG, what a holy crap !! And he was not alone, there was this looting happening with some 7-8 inspectors stopping all the vehicles going through that road and I was just one of the victims who got into their trap L

The conversation between me and Traffic Inspector goes like this …

TP: Take the helmet out, where from you coming?

Me: (Taking my helmet out) coming from station, Sir.

He came close, and was leaning in front of me to sniff whether I am drunk or not? ( I worried, what he is trying to do ?)
Me: Sir, I’m not drunk.

TP: Show me the license, the papers, too.

Me: (Took out my license from the wallet and handed over to him)I don’t have the papers though, Sir.

TP spoke for 2-3 minutes in Kannada and I was a dumb audience he got. After he finished,

Me: Sir, I don’t understand Kannada, either Hindi or English.

TP: 700 Rs. (200 for ‘a’ and 500 for ‘b’). Give now or collect ur license from the court, now go.

Me: (Opening my wallet and showing him the last 20/- bucks that are there)Sir, no money.(trying to be as innocent as I can). 700 is too much, please Sir, Kam nnahi ho sakata kya ??.

TP: (asking me to park my vehicle on the corner of the road) no. 700 is final.

Me: (parked my vehicle. By that time, TP moved to other guy whom his fellow mates have just stopped, I was trying to catch this TP who already got busy with other guy)Sir, no money, Sir. 700 is too much, can’t u come down?

TP: Go to ATM and bring the money, we’ll settle later.

Me: OK.

Got out of that trap, went ahead in search of an ATM nearby, thankfully found one ICICI. Uff, yahan bhi waiting at this time of night. Anyways, got money and wanted to go back to the spot, but it was one way. So, like a good boy, took another road to go back again to this road. And within no time, lost myself on the roads, having no idea which place it was and all one-ways made it worse to locate it again. Anyways, reached there somewhere, no idea.

Found that TP still busy with his work, went near to him.

Me: Sir, I got 400, that’s the max amount I have, what to do?

TP: Ok, gimme 400 and take your license.

Me: (with blank face), Sir, its too much, can’t u come down ??

TP: OK, give me 300.(Must be fwd up by my bargaining)

Me: (Gave 300 bucks, took my license from him and waiting for the receipt. To my surprise, he kept all the money in his pocket. Then I thought, this bribe to get outta from here, is too much.) Sir, 300 is too much and even no receipt.

TP: (Gave back my 100 Rs. and asked me to leave.)

Me: (Taking my 100 back, got away from that place ASAP)

I thought to myself, without NOC, without road tax, without any documents, without proper number on the bike (6972 is just 697 after 2 lost his life some days backL ), 200 bucks is not that bad a deal. Anyways, was thinking about this bribe, I think, we always want the better and faster deal and end up paying money to people rather than to government. Whatever, like it or not, Corruption is here to stay !!!

I even had to pay the bribe for my police verifications for passport, just to move my files across the police station faster, while the other files were just sitting at the table.
It was the same case for driving license too... those going for license without any agents, will have to wait a long time before their turn come up :(

!!! Jay ho… corruption ki jay ho…. !!!

When was the last time u paid the bribe ??