Police to carry anti-graft chits

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has come up with an unusual idea to stave off corruption in the police force: Having each officer carry a reminder that taking bribes is a crime, which earns the police department a bad name. The ACB has also issued a circular to ensure the implementation of this concept.

The circular also states that in order to curb corruption in the police department, there will be a team in every police station to monitor the activities of officers from constables to senior PIs. Also, the team will have the authority to check the pockets of any police official.

A source, who did not wished to be named, said, “Basically the team will work towards curbing corruption in the police department. They operate in the morning, when they will make everyone memorise anti-corruption slogans. Also, every police officer should keep a chit in his or her trouser pocket, drawer and bag. The chit must have the slogan ‘Taking a bribe is a crime’. Every officer will have to keep that chit in the aforementioned places within 24 hours. An ACB team can carry out a surprise check of the officer’s pockets or bags and if it does not find the chit, it will take action against the erring officer.”

Speaking about the initiative, a police official said, “ Nowadays the police department is becoming infamous for taking bribes. Because of a few officers, the whole department has to face the obligation. To change this situation, we are trying every possible thing to turn around the mindset of police officers.”

Recently, an police officer was caught taking bribe of Rs 5,000. During a house search at the the residence of police inspector Shankar Pujari, the Mumbai unit of the ACB found Rs 19 lakh in cash and the documents of a couple of flats he owns in Karjat and Manpada in Thane district.