Briton says cop sought bribe to permit her to board flightPreetu
Venugopalan Nair, TNN, Mar 29, 2010, 06.20am IST
PANAJI: Even as Goa is working hard to promote itself as a
tourist<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5737060.cms?prtpage=1#>friendly
destination, a British passport holder has complained that an
immigration department official demanded and took a $100 bribe to permit her
to board a charter flight earlier this month.
In her complaint to SP (immigration) Tony Fernandes, British citizen Fatima
Fernandes alleged that though she had a valid air ticket, on March 7, 2010,
an immigration official at Dabolim
airport<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5737060.cms?prtpage=1#>asked
for a bribe of $100 to allow her to board the charter flight to UK.
Fatima said she was allowed to board the flight only after she paid the
money in Indian currency to a PSI in the immigration department. Following
the complaint, the police have issued the PSI a memo and sought to know why
disciplinary action shouldn’t be initiated against him.
Confirming the incident, SP Fernandes said, “I have sought an explanation
from the PSI and am awaiting his reply.” Fatima had arrived in Goa on
February 5 by a Monarch charter
flight<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5737060.cms?prtpage=1#>from
UK and had a return ticket for March 7 by a Thomson flight.
“There was a problem as the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) rules
make it mandatory for foreign tourists arriving in the country by a charter
operator’s flight to return by the same operator’s flight. In this case, the
UK citizen had arrived by a Monarch flight, but was returning to UK by a
Thomson flight. This can’t be permitted if one goes strictly by the rules.
However, the rules were reportedly bent by the officer on duty after taking
a bribe of $100,” police sources said.
COMMENT: There is also another racket being run by operators at the
ticketing/baggage counter - woe betide if you are overweight. they will
charge you about £10 per kg - won't accept credit card....want cash only!
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DEV BOREM KORUM
Gabe Menezes.
