Culture Of Bribery And Forced Recovery In Daily Policing In India

The culture of bribery and forced recovery in daily policing in India refers to deep roots and regular practices of illegal money or physical benefits between police officers and general public during regular law enforcement activities. This culture is so common and comprehensive that it acts as an informal system within the policing mechanism, where various services, which are mandatory to be legally independent and fair, depend on compliance with bribery or forced recovery demands. The incident affects daily interaction of citizens with law enforcement agencies, from simple administrative processes to serious criminal complaints. It is a form of institutional corruption, which is influenced by historical, structural, social and political factors.

In Indian policing, bribery and forced recovery appears at all levels and positions, whether it is a general level constable or a higher administrative officer. For example, the practice of “tea-water”, which is a colloquial word used by police officers to seek bribe indirectly, is largely prevalent. Used as a symbol of gratitude, this idiom has now become a standard term to make money during small procedures such as checking the vehicle documents, passport verification, or to continue unauthorized street vendors without police intervention. This accidental form of bribery destroys the moral foundation of law enforcement and promotes a transaction approach to justice and public service.

On the road, the traffic police officers are often seen seeking bribes from drivers, especially those who do not have proper documents, who do not have proper documents. According to the law, instead of issuing an official invoice (fine) or filing a case, they present an informal agreement, where the culprit can directly pay a small amount to the officer to avoid legal complications or fine. There is no documentation of this informal transaction, and the collected money is often not reported, and becomes part of the officer’s personal earnings. Such small bribery is so common that many citizens see it as an expected expense while driving on Indian roads, especially in urban and semi-urban areas.

Apart from traffic violations, bribery is also prevalent in police station-level policing activities. A common example of this is the registration of the First Information Report (FIR), which is the initial stage of any criminal investigation. Legally, it is mandatory for police stations to file an FIR on receiving information about a cognizable offense. However, in many cases, police officers refuse to file a complaint until the complainant offers bribe. People with a victim of crime, especially from the marginalized communities or without political interaction, often find themselves trapped in a corrupt cycle where justice becomes a purchasable object rather than a constitutional right.

Similarly, police verification procedures, such as passport applications, employment background check, or tenant verification, have become a source of informal income for police officers. Although these satyapas should be done on the basis of bias -free and factual background, many officials delay or ban the approval until bribes are not given. Citizens often report that they are directly or indirectly told that their file will “proceed” until a certain amount is paid to the officer in charge. This leads to an inappropriate burden, especially on citizens who follow the law, who cannot have the means to meet these illegal demands.

Another form of regular corruption is the monthly forcibly recovery or “week” system, especially in metropolitan and professional fields. In this system, small business owners, roadside vendors, autorickshaw drivers and even some illegal establishments have to pay a certain monthly amount to local police officers in exchange for any harassment or ability to operate without any harassment or eviction. In some cases, local authorities also interact to bribery with drug dealers, gambling or prostitution businesses, and ensure safety in exchange for a certain percentage of profits. This organized form of corruption ensures that illegal activities continue unabated, often with inactive or active participation of the police force.

It also finds a place in systematic and daily corruption in criminal investigation and prosecution. Accused people can bribe the authorities to avoid arrest, weaken evidence or manipulate chargesheets. On the other hand, the victims are forced to pay money sometimes to continue investigation or avoid being intimidated by the accused party, often by police connivance. In many detention death cases or high-profile offenses, it has been found that bribery and political impact plays an important role in shaping the result of the investigation.

In rural India, where awareness about legal rights is less and access to high judicial measures is difficult, the police bribery becomes even more exploited. In return for basic security services or in exchange for avoiding false allegations in criminal cases, the entire community is often forced to pay money to police officers. The culture of corruption has been so deeply rooted that some officers come to the police force with the hope that they will use their post as a means of earning money instead of the post of service.

This practice is completely different from the police system of many developed countries, where strict anti -corruption law, internal vigilance department, body camera surveillance, civil review board and transparency audit serve as a strong preventive against such misconduct. In countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada or Japan, police officers are followed by stringent moral standards, and even after taking minor bribes, suspension, dismissal or criminal suit may be prosecuted. The public’s trust in the police in these countries is quite high, as there is a structure of accountability and legal measures, which is often applied in India in an absent or weak manner.

In India, although institutions such as the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Lokayukta are formed to deal with corruption, their daily police have little effect on bribery, because there is low reporting, fear of revenge action and lack of action. The possibility of police vengeance, legal complications, long complaints process and low confidence in the judicial system discouraged many citizens from complaining to corrupt officials.

Additionally, the politicization of police further promotes this culture. Officers often get security or promotion on the basis of their loyalty to political personalities rather than their honesty or service records. This alliance between politics and policing allows corrupt conduct to flourish without any consequences. Transfer, suspension or demonstrations are rarely used as a disciplinary tool, but often misused for political gains, which leads to a structure of accountability and weak.

The culture of bribery and forced recovery in daily policing in India is a broad, institutional and socially accepted form of corruption that compromises justice, promotes inequality and weakens democratic institutions. It affects citizens of all areas of life, but especially damages the poor, marginalized people and legally uneducated people. As long as there is no nationwide change in policing standards-in which priority is given to transparency, service morality, accountability and community participation-this culture of corruption will continue to flourish, reduce public trust and distort the basic essence of justice in India.

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