One More Inspiring Story From A Common Man...

[JANASENA]

I got my passport without paying bribe
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1st August(Friday): 
Applied for a fresh passport online ,made the payment of 1500 rupees online itself and booked an appointment for 4th August via online portal.
4th August(Monday): Submitted documents at Begumpet PSK,Hyderabad. It took 4 hours for the entire process.
5th August(Tuesday): Received a mail informing that my file has been sent for police verification.
23rd August (Saturday): No one came for police verification so far. Called the local police station. They informed that the verification is done by Special Branch, not by Law & Order Dept. Called the Joint Commissioner's office (Special Branch). Was informed that my file hasn't come for verification. Lodged a complaint on the passport portal about the delay in Police Verification.
23rd August (Saturday). Sent a text message to Joint Commissioner's mobile requesting him to look into my issue. Mobile number obtained from Hyderabad police website.
25th August (Monday): 9.30 AM - Call from Special Branch Cop - Sir, are you available today at home?. The answer was "Yesssss".
25th August (Monday) : 2 PM. Cop comes for verification. I provided a copy of all my documents that were submitted at PSK. He took necessary thumb prints and then asks for fees.
Me: "What fee?". 
Cop: There is a fee for police verification. 
Me: I am not aware of any such fee. . How much is it?". 
Cop: 500. 
Me: Its nowhere mentioned on the website. What is the fee for?
Cop: Its "Kharcha paani". Xerox ka kharcha. Petrol ka Kharcha.
Me: Its 3 pages. How much does it cost to copy 3 pages? And You came from an office that's 6 km from my home. I am sure government pays you for petrol.
Cop: Everyone pays the fee. You can check with your neighbors. They have also applied for passport in the past and they paid. 
Me: I am sorry. If my neighbors pay, that doesn't mean I will pay. The best I can do for you is offer you a glass of water and a cup of tea. They serve awesome Irani chai at the nearby hotel. We can have a tea together if you wish.
Cop: No, thanks.
Me: Alright then, thank you. When will you forward my file to the Regional Passport office?
Cop: It will be sent once ACP signs.
I sent a Thank you note to the Joint Commissioner.
After 2 days, I called this cop again and asked whether he has forwarded my file or not. The answer was "No". I asked him if the delay is anywhere related my refusal to pay him the "fees". He was silent for a moment and then said : "No Sir, ACP has not signed your file yet".
30th August: I went to Joint Commissioner's Office to enquire about my file.
Right when I walked into the South Zone office and enquired about my file, one guy informed that my filed was signed by ACP the previous day and it will be sent to Passport office by evening. He showed a bunch of files that were signed by ACP previous day and another guy was entering details into an excel sheet.
This week, my passport was delivered. Not a single rupee was paid in bribe to anyone.

[saradagakasepu]

lucky fellaa.......