Gujarat corrupt officials introduce EMI option for bribes

In a bid to appear considerate towards citizens, corrupt government officials in Gujarat are now offering an EMI (Equated Monthly Installment) option for bribe payments, reported The Times of India. This practice aims to reduce the financial strain on individuals who are coerced into paying bribes.

This new approach by dishonest officials, who seem to have taken a cue from banking systems, allows bribes to be paid in installments rather than in a single lump sum. The goal is to ease the financial burden on those who are not economically strong.

The Impact of EMI Options on Corruption Dynamics

According to the report, officials now demand bribes with the option of monthly payments. Earlier this year, a person involved in a bogus billing scam under the SGST was asked to pay ₹21 lakh. However, he was given the option to pay ₹2 lakh per month over nine months instead of a lump sum. Similarly, a police officer in the cybercrime unit demanded ₹10 lakh in four installments.

In another case, a deputy sarpanch and a taluka panchayat member in Surat demanded ₹85,000 from a villager for leveling his farm. Acknowledging the villager’s poor financial condition, they offered an EMI option: ₹35,000 as a down payment and the remainder in three installments.

Recently, two police officers from Sabarkantha district fled with ₹4 lakh, which was the first installment of a ₹10 lakh bribe they had demanded.

A senior official from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Gujarat confirmed to The Times of India that this practice is becoming increasingly popular. This year alone, ten cases have been reported. The official likened the practice to obtaining loans for houses, cars, or valuables, explaining that corrupt officials are now applying the same logic to bribes.

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