Pleasant Surprise read. We need many more like these in positions. Looks like the new generations are slowly taking us to a new healthy era....tomorrow's India as we all visualise...
Nice ! ~Divya On Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 4:31 AM, Chaitanya Ganesh <[email protected]>wrote: > > > > This happened with a Senior Program Manager in Qualcomm… > > It’s a long read… But quiet a good one… > > > > > > Long read but sustains our hopes in the police doing their job sincerely – > Sanjeev N. > > > It was Friday 5th June, at about 3 pm I drove my Ford Ikon car into 80 feet > road at Indira Nagar in Bangalore, wanting to reach on time for my 3.30 pm > meeting with a client. As I entered the wide road I saw a posse of Traffic > Constables who stopped my car on the side and asked me to produce my car > documents to the Traffic Sub Inspector(SI) who was standing on the footpath. > I walked upto the SI and displayed my Driving Licence, to which he told me > to bring my Car Insurance certificate and also my Emission Certificate for > the car. I walked back to my car and realised that I had not carried either > of the documents in my car and was cursing myself for such a slip. I came > back to the SI and told him that I did not have my document and what was to > be done. The SI had a half smile & told me that the fine for not carrying > both these documents was Rs 600/- however I could pay him Rs 300/-. I > removed my wallet and told the SI that I would pay the amount and want a > receipt for the same, to which he suddenly grew stern and told me that in > which case the fine was Rs 1,100/-. I paid the fine of Rs 1,100/- and took > the receipt, wondering why the fine had suddenly escalated just because I > wanted a receipt instead of paying the Rs 300 bribe which the SI had asked. > > After my client meeting as I was driving back, I was annoyed at myself for > not carrying the documents and I was angry that at an officer at an SI level > was blatantly seeking a bribe. I decided that I should do something about it > and as soon as I reached my Home Office, I logged on to the net and found > out that the Traffic Police of Bangalore has a website, which gives details > of the fines chargeable , it also provides for logging complaints and gave > the email ids of the Asst Commissioner of Police for the traffic division. > At about 7 pm that evening I wrote an email to the email id of the ACP, > narrating the incident of the afternoon and lodging a formal complaint in > the email. I also found out the website of Lok Ayukta of Karnataka and > marked a cc of the same email to the email id's given on the Lok Ayukta's > website. By about 7.30pm I had done the needful, and I was happy with myself > that what I preach in my Leadership Workshops wrt Values, I had practised to > a large extent (Paying the fine instead of paying the bribe and reporting > the bribe demand to the best of my ability). I thought the chapter ended > there, little realising that I would be having an indeed amazing and > pleasant experience on this whole incident in the hours & days to come. > > On Saturday 7th June(the next day) at about 2 pm, I logged into my Home > Office and checked my email and lo behold, I had 3 emails sent to me by the > ACP to who I had written the complaint email the previous day. The first > one, informed me that I had done the right thing by paying the fine and not > the bribe, the second email asked to give my complaint in writing and fax it > to the ACP, so that action can be taken on the SI and the 3rd email asked me > to give the ACP a call on his office no or his cell no, so that he could > accelerate the action to be taken on the erring SI. I promptly put my > complaint in a letter and sent a scanned copy through the email to the ACP. > > On Sunday, 8th June in the morning I checked my email and I had an email > from the ACP stating that the erring SI had been suspended from services and > that I must give the ACP a call to work out the next formalities. I called > the ACP (till now I did not know the name of this ACP) who answered my call > on the Sunday. During my phone conversation he introduced himself as ACP > Pravin Sood, and thanked me for doing what I did wrt not paying the bribe > and also escalating the matter in writing, he explained that many Bangalore > citizens escalate such cases to him but then back down when asked to give > the complaint in writing. He apologised to me (yes - he said "I am sorry for > what you faced with this SI who harassed you, because he did not have any > business stopping your to check your documents if you had not done any > traffic violation") and he invited me over to Tea to his office at a time > convenient to me. After I kept the phone down, I could not believe that here > was a case where within 48 hours of an incident of seeking bribe, the erring > office was suspended. > > I decided that I must meet in person ACP Pravin Sood, speaking with who for > 10 minutes had changed a few paradigms in my mind about Public Services > Officers. Since I was travelling the next few days, I sought time with him > on 15th June at 4.30 pm at his office. I reached ACP Sood's office a little > early (at 4.10 pm) and was pleasantly surprised when I was ushered into his > office at 4.15 pm, he asked me to sit as he was completing a meeting with > another delegation.. At sharp 4.30 pm he ended his previous meeting and > turned to me and spent the next 20 minutes discussing with me several > aspects of Traffic Policing in Bangalore and offered me a cup of tea (Many > corporate clients I visit, do not see me on time and do not ask me for a cup > of tea, so what ACP Sood was doing was indeed better than many corporate > folks I have met!). > > Right through the conversation, he was courteous, frank and completely > articulate on his thoughts and ideas. He reiterated that there would be no > repercussions on me for giving the complaint in writing, and that I may have > to make one appearance in person when the internal enquiry is done, he also > offered that instead of me having to come to the Police headquarters to give > the statement, he could send one of his officers to my residence to take my > statement if I so wish. When I was leaving ACP Sood's office, I told him > "Over the years many of my friends and cousins have urged me to migrate and > settle in one of the western countries, but I have consciously chosen to > stay back in India by my choice - when I have interactions like the one I > had with you ACP Sood, I am happy that I made the choice to stay back in > India". It was an impromptu comment, straight from my heart to which ACP > Sood just smiled and shook my hand. > > When I was walking out of ACP Sood's office, I felt reassured that if we > have officers like ACP Pravin Sood in our country, there is a Glimmer of > Hope, against corruption, provided, we as citizens have the courage to say > NO to Bribes and have the inclination to report cases of Bribe (I am no > major RTI or Social activist, yet I found all the info I needed on the web, > sitting in my Home Office). > > Change begins with me, I can make a difference ! > > -- > > > > > > > >
