Palakkad: The corrupt officials of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) manning the Walayar check-post are now employing innovative methods to escape from the clutches of the Vigilance Department.
In order to protect the bribe amount that they collect from the drivers and owners of goods, lorries and private vehicles, they use even walkie talkies these days, though it is illegal.
The walkie talkies were bought by the officials after getting tired of the recurring Vigilance raid. The main official sitting at the counter is usually the custodian of one of the walkie talkies. Two other persons stand at the entrance of the check-post holding walkie talkies in their hands. The moment they get information about the arrival of the Vigilance's sleuths, it is informed at the counter via walkie talkie. Within seconds, the person sitting at the counter manages to shift the iii-gotten cash to some other place.
Interestingly, when the walkie talkie was caught by the Vigilance, the initial reaction of the official at the counter was that it was a toy. But it was found to be an original one later in the detailed examination conducted by the Vigilance.
Even during the pandemic crisis, the same corrupt system prevails at the check-post. Once you pay the bribe, which starts from Rs.50 and goes up to lakhs of rupees depending on the case, you will be cleared without waiting.
Even fruits are taken as bribe
Even fruits such as mangoes or pineapples or pomegranates are being received as grafts from those who do not have money in their hands.
Some of the corrupt officials are now fleecing the stressed KOVID-affected families, coming from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, who are ready to spend any amount to avoid an unending wait at the check-post.
No action against corrupt officials
No official is being caught red-handed at the check-posts. The Vigilance could recover only unaccounted money from there every time. Then, the Vigilance sends a report to the MVD headquarters, recommending action against the corrupt officials.
But the officials usually go scot-free because the chain of corruption goes to the level of higher-ups sitting in Thiruvananthapuram.
On Friday, when the Vigilance raided the check-posts, they saw the same officials, against whom action was recommended by the department after the last month's raid. About Rs.1.71 lakh was recovered during the last month's raid.
Earlier, some of the officials had installed four CCTV cameras on the check-post premises by spending money from their own pockets. The issue became controversial and finally, Vigilance made them remove the CCTV cameras.
Average seven lakh bribe in 12 hours' time
Because of the recurring raids, the money collected as bribes is not kept in the check-post. Some lorry drivers, who are second-level agents, will be tasked with sending this money to the main agents sitting in Palakkad.
A share of this ill-gotten money goes to the district and State-level MVD higher-ups. Crores of rupees have been already amassed this year, making the intervention of the Vigilance ineffective.
In 12 hours, an average of Rs.5.5 lakh to Rs.7 lakh money goes through the hands of the lorry drivers. It is estimated that in one turn, a corrupt employee at the check-post is getting a minimum of Rs.1 lakh.
The eight-hour duty system was introduced at the check post in order to reduce the level of corruption. But that has now come as a blessing in disguise for the corrupt to make more money.
Lorry drivers work as second-level agents
Lorry driver Mohan Sundaram, who was nabbed by the Vigilance for transacting graft money, told the Vigilance team that he had undertaken such exchanges 30 times.
Goods vehicles from Tamil Nadu were picked by the Vigilance officials to carry out this work. The lorry drivers get fixed wages for their work. When a new set of officials take charge at the check-post every three months, a new set of lorry drivers come for the work.
The network of corrupt officials is so vast that there is even a system to check whether the lorry drivers are correctly reporting at the point where main agents are located.
These lorry drivers come to the check-post under the pretext of crossing the border with some goods, then collect the graft money from the official deputed for it and then drives to the agent's office.
Huge loss for govt exchequre
The government's loss due to corruption is two or three times the current tax collection at the check-post. Because of the high stakes involved, the postings at the check-posts are allegedly sold out at auctions by the ruling class.
The Vigilance has raided the check-post 60 times since 2013. Only in two cases, action has been taken. But the four officials, who had been suspended for indulging in corrupt practices in the check-post, were posted at the same place, making a mockery of the system.
