- I Paid A Bribe
- 14 years ago
- 990 views
Harrassment by the Custom Officers at the New Delhi Airport - Terminal 3
- Customs, Excise and Service Tax
- Customs Check and Clearance
- Paid INR 2,000
Respected Sirs,
I am not sure if this way of communication would be of any benefit to anyone in the future. But there is no harm trying, being a ordinary citizen of India.
I have been a victim of harassment by the Custom Officers at the New Delhi Airport - Terminal on various occasions. The latest incident took place on my recent visit to New Delhi from Dubai. After reaching New Delhi I was called upon by two constables who told me to open my bag , which i obeyed. After scrounging through my bags for about 15minutes, they told me that I was carrying 3 watches which is not permitted as such. I told them that these are my personal watches and i wear them regularly. This is where they caught a vein and did not listen to a word i said. They asked me to pay the customs. I argued and asked them to verify that these are used watches but kept in a box. They, very cautiously asked me to hand over my passport to them, which i did. They refused to take it asked me to put 3000Rs in it and then hand it over. I told them that I do not have such cash with me and I cannot bribe them. This is where they shouted at me and asked me to go to the counter and pay 5000Rs instead, and that they wont give me a second chance if i returned to haggle with them later.
This was pure blackmail. My connecting flight was getting delayed and i had no option but to negotiate with them. I offered them 500Rs but they did not wanted to settle for anything less than 2000Rs. I Pleaded and requested them that i have only 2000Rs with me as i was travelling from abroad and had a connecting flight. That I might need the cash during my travel. But not listening to a word i said, they asked me to fold and keep the money in the passport and hand it over to them. I gave in and paid them all the amount i had.
Due to this I missed by domestic flight from IGI Airport and had to pay GO AIR double the fare through my credit card to accommodate me in the next flight.
I was hopeless. I was desperate and I was returning to my homeland after a year.
If this is the impression we get and if this is how we are treated in our own country then we prefer staying outside. No matter what, we will still stay Indians, even if we are ripped off by the law itself.
I hope, not for one citizen, but to keep the ********** of the millions of NRI's returning to india, bring these money-sucking crooks to book so that no more citizen faces their wrath.
Thanking you in anticipation
A *******