Ahmedabad, June 6: A bizarre trend of corruption has emerged in Gujarat, where government officials are allegedly accepting bribes from citizens in installments. Notably, corrupt officials are seeking bribes in easy monthly installments instead of one-time payments by showing that they have a "heart." The practice called "empathetically corrupt" offers easy solutions to ease the financial burden on people who are forced to pay bribes.

According to a report in the Times of India, the "empathetically corrupt" practice was seen in many cases. In March this year, an official demanded a Rs 21 lakh bribe from a person in an SGST bogus billing scam. As the amount was huge, the official equated his demand of Rs 21 lakh into nine EMIs of Rs 12 lakh each and one of Rs 1 lakh. Gujarat: Two Government Officials Held by Surat ACB for Accepting Bribe.

Officials Accepting Bribes in EMIs

In a similar case that occurred in April, a deputy sarpanch and taluka panchayat member in Gujarat's Surat allegedly demanded Rs 85,000 as bribe in order to get a villager's farm levelled. As the villager could not afford to give Rs 85,000 in one go, the accused offered an EMI option of Rs 35,000 as advance and the remaining amount in three equal installments.

In a recent case in the coastal state, two policemen allegedly fled with a Rs 4 lakh bribe that they demanded from a Sabarkantha resident. Arguably, the Rs 4 lakh amount was just the first installment of the Rs 10 bribe they demanded. Similarly, there have been several cases in the recent past where corrupt officials have been demanding bribes from victims in installments. Gujarat: Delhi Man Alleges Demand of Rs 20,000 Bribe at Check Post During ICC World Cup 2023 Final Match, Ahmedabad Police Takes Cognizance After Video Surfaces.

EMI Scheme Applied for Bribes

While no "corrupt" official has been caught so far, officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials said the practice has been on the rise, with 10 cases reported this year alone. "A person unable to afford to buy a house, car or a valuable by making full payments avails a loan on EMIs. Corrupt officials are applying the same practice to bribes now," a senior ACB officer said.

Officials also said that corrupt government officials are taking advantage of those who have been questioned by police or who are looking to access government welfare schemes.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 06, 2024 04:49 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).