Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 19 November 2021
Very often we find ourselves in peculiar situations and we end up making a mess. One such situation in anyone’s lifetime can be a public employee asking for a bribe to perform a duty-bound function or to provide a benefit to which you are legally entitled.
In Andaman and Nicobar Islands the practice of public servants asking for a bribe from the general public is much less than that of many states in mainland India, but it still exists.
The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the amendments thereof makes it illegal for public employees to take bribe and any individual or organisation to bribe a public employee.
The law is very clear that both the persons taking the bribe and giving/offering the bribe are committing an offence and are to be punished.
It is a very sad notion that corruption still exists in our society, but the truth is it does exist and every individual needs to be prepared to deal with it.
If some public employee asks you for a bribe in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the best thing to do is tell him/her that you will get back, if not possible then accept the demand, ask for time to fulfil the illegal gratification sought and then contact the Anti-Corruption Unit of Andaman and Nicobar Administration. The Anti-Corruption Unit will suggest the best way forward. In possible situations, the Anti-Corruption Unit may lay a trap to catch the public employee red-handed while receiving the bribe.
Here is what the website of the Anti-Corruption Unit, Andaman and Nicobar Administration says about Traps “Traps – It is a very effective tool in the fight against corruption, at the cutting edge level of the Administration because it has an immediate telling effect not only on the corrupt Public Servant involved in the matter but also acts as a deterrent for others. On receipt of a specific complaint that a particular Public Servant is demanding bribe for doing or omitting to do his official duties and the same is about to be paid, a trap is organized to catch him red handed. After verifying the genuineness of the complainant and the antecedents of the alleged Public Servant, the officials of Anti-Corruption unit organize a trap in the presence of independent witnesses. Once the trap materializes, the Public Servant is arrested and criminal proceedings are initiated against him. Significantly, the law gives immunity to the complainant, who participates in the trap, wherein he is required to hand over the demanded money or any other material gratification/obligation to the suspect officer, on the direction of the Investigating Officer of the Anti-Corruption unit.”
When a public employee gets away with securing a bribe it creates a problem for the entire society. You may be able to pay the demanded bribe, but many people may not be able to. You bribing any public employee will encourage him/her to make it a habit, because of which the society will suffer at large.
The fact that you are reading this makes it certain that you are empowered through education and it is your duty to root out the evil of corruption from the society, rather than encouraging corruption by giving bribes.
If for some reason you do not want to approach the Anti-Corruption Unit of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, you also have the option to contact the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Port Blair.
Contact Details of Anti Corruption Unit, Andaman and Nicobar Administration:
Officer to Contact: Superintendent of Police, Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Unit
Phone Number: 03192-240840
Email ID: spac.and@nic.in
(For some reason the ‘Officers to Contact’ section on the website of the Anti-Corruption and Vigilance Unit, A & N Administration http://db.and.nic.in/acvu/Home.html is non-functional at the time of publishing this article.)
Contact Details of Anti Corruption Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Port Blair
Phone Number: 03192-230362, 230339
Email ID: hobacpblr@cbi.gov.in
Address: ‘C’ – Block, 2nd Floor, Kendriya Sadan, Lambaline, Port Blair – 744103, A & N Islands.