Warangal: Passport verification officer demands bribe of Rs 500

Hyderabad: A video of a passport verification officer in Warangal allegedly demanding a bribe of rupees 500 to get work done, has surfaced on social media.

The video that uploaded on Twitter on Monday was posted by a user Mohammed Viqaar and was reportedly was shot on December 18 in Hanamkonda. In the video the official can be seen going through documents submitted by the applicant Syed Aqib Shareef, seated in front of him. The official can be heard saying “dena phir, diye toh jaata” (You have to give (money/bribe) only then will it (file) go–for further processing).

The boys in the video can be seen trying to persuade him saying that they do not have the money at the moment and would pay later. The official pays no heed to their requests and says that the file will be processed only after they pay the amount he demanded, as a bribe.

The user tagged the commissioner of Police, Warangal in his tweet who responded saying that the matter will be looked into.

Viqaar, Aqib’s friend, who recorded the video confirmed to Siasat.com that the Warangal police had reached out to him and assured him that suitable action will be taken after investigation.

In recent cases of bribery from the Southern part of the country, the Central Bureau of Investigation on 11 December arrested a GST Superintendent for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe from a businessman for issuing a Registration Certificate to his shop in Vijayawada.

The arrested accused had been identified as John Moses, Superintendent of GST. “He has been arrested and will be produced before a magistrate,” said a CBI official.