Corruption in Public Life

ALOK K. SHRIVASTAVA

Every now and then, news and video clips regarding bribes or bribery prominently appear in print, electronic, and social media. These negative “breaking” items tend to attract our attention faster than expected. Those among us who genuinely care for society and its well-being not only get upset but also try to discuss their manifestations, impacts, and tentacles with friends and well-wishers.

The issue of corruption is perennially—and often hotly—debated in seminars, closed-door meetings, social gatherings, and public discourses.

Corruption: The Conceptual Aspect

Corruption means deviation from an established or desired path. Internationally, a corrupt person is considered dishonest—especially one resorting to bribery. It is, nevertheless, an immoral activity, implying that what ought to be becomes infructuous in the face of what is. Hence, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to detect and pinpoint such unfair practices.

Corruption, per se, may not only refer to the practice of giving and accepting cash for day-to-day work. It also has a dangerous combination of money and favors in kind. In public life, there are individuals who neither take cash nor allow visible inflows of goods into their households, yet resort to corrupt practices of an invisible nature.

There are also people who, through seemingly “honest” deeds, ensure benefits in cash or kind for others—thus guaranteeing for themselves positions or ranks not normally achievable through fair means. They succeed in building a good, enduring, and usable image.

Needless to say, even those who are not habitually corrupt sometimes become occasionally corrupt. Thus, locating or pinpointing an entirely fair and honest person is not easy.

Available Anti-Corruption Mechanisms

A dedicated Vigilance Awareness Fortnight is observed annually by Central and State Governments in November. During this period, people are sensitized about the malaise of corruption and warned of its consequences. Unfortunately, this momentum often fades once the event ends.

In addition, there are offices such as the Central Vigilance Commission, State Vigilance Commissions, Chief Vigilance Officers in Public Sector Undertakings, the CBI, Enforcement Directorate, and State Anti-Corruption Bureaus. However, many of these institutions have failed to live up to expectations. They often perform mere lip service, acting only on fixed instructions from the top.

Mere talk about corruption is insufficient. It is our duty to provide clues, highlight cases, and assist investigating authorities so that the guilty are brought to justice swiftly. Sadly, the rate of conviction in registered cases remains abysmally poor.

The reinterpretation of the term “public servant” by the Supreme Court in the Vineet Narain case was a welcome step. It helped implicate and convict several tainted politicians. In earlier times, it was mainly officers and staff who had to prove their innocence, while their political masters escaped punishment. Prominent examples include the Coal Ministry and the Bihar Fodder Scam.

Emerging and Latent Instances of Corruption

If we care about public safety, it is essential to be vigilant about the following indicative (not exhaustive) instances:

• Protect Your Vote: Malpractices in securing entry into electoral rolls in several poll-bound states.
• Allotment of Government Land: In lieu of employment in railway offices.
• Free Rice Scheme: The 5 kg of free rice per person not only pampers but also promotes dependency.
• PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi: Granting ?6,000 per year to farmers (soon raised to ?9,000) is wasteful and breeds lethargy.
• Cash Schemes in the Name of Poverty: These harm more than they help; lakhs of crores have been wasted in the name of rural development.
• Allotment of Housing Units: Based on fixed economic status often leads to misuse and resale, defeating the scheme’s purpose.
• Free Education from KG to PG: Misleading slogans that ignore merit-based efforts of low-income families.
• Paper Leaks and Recruitment Scams: Supporting or ignoring such crimes is inhuman and shakes the foundations of society.
• Flood Relief Scams: Relief funds during floods, landslides, and cyclones often fall into the hands of corrupt officials and local bodies.
• False “Flood-Free” Promises: Unrealistic and misleading assurances can amount to corrupt practice.
• Illegal Mining: Leads to massive losses to the exchequer and violent crimes.
• Cosmetic Environmental Projects: Like creating a fake Yamuna beside the polluted one—misleading and corrupt.
• Political Windfalls: Money influences political decisions, undermining democracy despite ECI vigilance.
• Corporate-Political Nexus: Close ties between top industrialists and governments—both Central and State—extend influence even abroad.

A Classic Case: K. K. Gautam, Former DSP, Uttar Pradesh Police

All that glitters is not gold. Similarly, not everything reported in the media may be true—yet, as the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire.

The case of Shri K. K. Gautam, then Town Inspector of Bareilly, reported by journalist Usman Saifi, is illustrative. Known for his integrity, Gautam was asked by his Inspector General to arrange a monthly collection of ?1 lakh. Shocked, he refused. When matters worsened, Gautam struck a deal to trap the IG’s aide, who was caught red-handed collecting the bribe.

The news caused ripples across Uttar Pradesh and beyond. Though initially suspended, Gautam fought back legally. With the support of eminent advocates, including Ram Jethmalani and Arun Jaitley, he won his case in the Allahabad High Court, was reinstated, and later promoted to DSP before retirement.

Moral of the Story:
Never give up, even if honest superiors fail to protect you. The courts remain an option. However, justice often depends on influential intervention—something not available to every aggrieved officer.

Unfortunately, even the judiciary is not immune to criticism. Courts must also be proactive and uphold the spirit of justice, as they did in Vineet Narain.

To Sum Up

Mine is not the last word—nor should it be.
This is merely a viewpoint drawn from experience.
Apart from noble intentions, nothing else is intended.