PALAKKAD: Bribe need not be paid in cash alone. There are officers who accept vegetables or fruits as bribes in Kerala.
A vigilance team that swooped down on the Motor Vehicles Department check post at Walayar in Palakkad district was surprised to see bundles of vegetables and fruits on the premises. It was found that truck drivers gift vegetables and fruits to please the officers. The team recovered unaccounted money to the tune of Rs 67,000 collected as a bribe by six officers.
Seeing the vigilance team, one assistant motor vehicle inspector ran into the forest while another went to a hospital and took an OP ticket. An officer threw Rs 7,000 on the floor.
The vigilance team led by DySP S Shamsudeen arrived at the Motor Vehicle check post at 2 am on Tuesday.
He said the tax collection at the check post for 18 hours from 8 am on Monday to 2 am on Tuesday ( 18 hours) was Rs 69,500. However, it was found that the six persons who joined duty at 8 pm on Tuesday collected Rs 67,000 as bribe in six hours till 2 am.
The Vigilance officials said that they will submit a report to the government.