Assets of a Junior Officer!
1.5 kg gold worth around Rs 28 lakh, 4.6 kg silver worth around Rs 1.4 lakh and Rs 50 lakh worth investment in shares; Rs 3 lakh in cash and fixed deposit receipts for Rs 50,000; Advance of Rs. 70 lakhs paid for a flat. These are the assets of an Inspector of Central Excise found by the CBI after he and his colleagues were recently trapped accepting a bribe of Rs. 15,000/-. This man will spend a few days in jail and even if he is finally acquitted – after twenty years – he will have to go through harrowing experiences. There are rich officers who could not finance their children's education, could not get their daughters married, were socially ostracized, had to do small time jobs after they were dismissed from service after a CBI trap.
A Central Excise officer convicted by a CBI Court was ill-treated by a peon of the Court and he told the peon, “I am a Central Government officer – you should respect me.” The peon said, “You are a confirmed convicted criminal and don't deserve any respect”.
Is it worth it?
Recently a Netizen was very critical about DDT's comments and stated in our Message Board, “if the CC and the Commissioner in spite of having a lakh rupees as salary can fall for this temptation, it is not news if the Superintendent or her colleagues follow their masters!”.
It is not the question of Sepoy or CC – once you are caught by CBI, your life is ruined and so is your family. And where do you want to follow your boss – to the prison?
And the issue really is not corruption; Indians have accepted corruption, greasing the palm, speed money, chai pani, etc, as a way of life – what is irritating is the unfair arrogance of the corrupt and undue harassment before and after bribes. At least you should be polite to your clients!
As long as things go smooth, there is no problem, but once you are caught – the game is over! All Government servants should realise this risk.