Excise departmen demands highest bribes

Revenue, police department have allegedly been the most corrupt for at least 6 years

Even as the revenue department and the police department have topped the Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) chart for allegedly being the most corrupt departments for at least six years in a row now, the state excise department has topped the list for seeking the highest amount of bribes.

Around 301 bribery cases were registered against officials of revenue department in which 385 people were arrested and total bribes recovered in these cases stood at Rs 34,83,671.

Around 270 bribery cases were registered against officials of the police department in which 360 people were arrested and total bribes recovered in these cases stood at Rs 37,76, 500. Interestingly, only nine cases were registered against officials and men of state excise department and 15 arrested and total bribes recovered in this cases stood at Rs 46,45,000 seized in bribes. Similarly, in nine cases against the state’s sales department, 11 persons were arrested and Rs 25,74,000 was seized in bribery cases.

An ACB official requesting anonymity said, “Mostly employees of revenue and police departments ask for bribes of about Rs 500, Rs 1,000 or Rs 2,000 or Rs 5,000. As this affects the general public, they choose to come forward and register a complaint.

They do not have any business which may get affected due to their complaint or by denying bribes.” “However, the sales department and the excise department deal with businessmen who have establishments with business transactions running into lakhs of rupees. Even if their business gets affected by a day they face considerable losses. So, they choose to pay bribes to excise and sales department employees and therefore the number of cases registered against these departments is low,” the ACB official added.

The ACB source said often the businessmen do not follow the rules and know action could be taken on them. They also know if they complain against an official demanding bribe, the next one who comes in his place would still initiate action on them. Hence, they “settle” the matter. But those who are harassed for hefty bribes or are clean approach the ACB and action is initiated.