My Passport

Difficulties faced during
passport police verification.

PSK VARANASI 9th March 2016.

It was 9th March, the appointment date of mine for passport application at Mahmoorganj, Varanasi. I reported there at 12 pm as my appointment was at 12:30. It was very sunny day, and I was waiting outside in sun at mid noon for my turn. So finally I got my turn and entered the office, a beautiful lady in red and white Saree, fair face, 5 feet 8 inch in hight, with brown eyes and a deep smile welcomed me to the PSK( it’s quite good to be welcomed by a lady with a lovely smile specially when you are exhausted by waiting for a long time.) . So the process began from this counter,I took my token and headed towards my next step of process. I was waiting for the turn of my token no. on digital display and was just observing the applicants spontaneously, 75% of applicants were of Muslim community. So finally my turn came and went for the process of thumb impressions, photo capturing and documents verification. So there were 4 counters where one had to go for their complete process. I went there sequentially A-B-C-D. After D, one had to exit. So I came out of the office with a huge happiness and smile on my face like I’m coming out of a war after defeating my enemy. I made a call to one of my amicable and affable friend named Milan. I went to his home ,freshed myself, and had my lunch. So I talked with aunty that I will have to leave for my home today but she didn’t allow so I agreed to stay there for one night more. And on the very morning of next day I left for my home (yes my home  a great place ever on this earth ,MAKANPUR. )

Suriyawan , 10th March 2016

I reached at Suriyawan railway station( one of my nearest railway station) at 11 am . After reaching there I thought to visit the Suriyawan Police Staition to ask about my police verification. I reached there and crossed a jeep parked there, I noticed a fake sentence written on front of jeep- “UP police apki sewa me sadaiv tatpar ” . I grinned, reading it and headed towards the office, found a police man sitting outside on chair with betel(paan) in his mouth. I asked him , ” Sir, I had to enquire about the police verification.”  And waited for his spitting the paan in his mouth, ” Am I sitting here to tell you about that only ? just go inside and ask someone else” ,he replied.
I didn’t mind it because I’m little aware of their characters, so headed into office and found a constable chewing the same(betel). I asked him the same. So conversation started in following way:-

Me: Sir, kab tak ayega mera file verification ke liye ,kal hi appointment tha mera Varanasi me. (Sir, till when my file would come here for verification as yesterday only my appointment was there in Varanasi)

Constable:- aa jayega ek hapte ke andar, aapko suchit kar diya jayega. ( it will come in a week, you will be informed.)

Me:- Sir, can it be soon actually I’ve to leave to Pune as my college is there.

Constable:- Beta if you want your passport ,you will have to wait till the file doesn’t come.

Me:- ok thank you , Sir.

After this conversation with the constable , I left from there and headed towards my home (yes my home my sweet village Makanpur, which I mentioned above).

MAKANPUR, 11th March

One thing special is in my village is that the beginning of day takes place from khoriya( a place where shops and main roads are there). So as usual I visited the same in early morning and met one Of my friend Kapil. We did some gossip there discussed some political issues of our rural and urban arena. Even he started abusing police that they are too corrupt. So after gossiping I decided to back home and headed towards my home. Just the moment I was leaving him my loveliest HTC desire started ringing in it’s sweet voice. I received the call.

Me:-hello hanji kaun?( hello, who is this?)

Caller:- Hello, am I speaking to Mr Akhilesh Maurya ?

Me:- yes, who is there?

Caller:-Actually, Mr Pandey is here from LIU office Gyanpur, I’ve called  to inform you that your file has come to your police station , just go and report there, and after there come to my office with1500/ bucks. 

Me:- Fine Sir, I would go and report, by the way why is this1500 bucks…………?

Caller:-Beta do one thing , you can visit some of your villagers who has made their passport and had paid the same amount. You can ask the reason.

Me:- Sir, I don’t have much time that I go there and ask them and to whom I should ask, I’m asking the authorised person already, don’t make me to visit them, make it explicit please.

Caller:- Beta, you will have to pay this amount otherwise your passport will be cancelled forever.

Me:-Ok fine Sir, see you soon there, by the way thanks to inform . ( thinking now it’s the high time to teach them, beta akhilesh be ready for the battle with these corrupt police personnel.)

So on the same day I visited my nrarest police station( yes it’s Suriyawan itself where I visited yesterday).

I reached there at 11 am, went inside the office met that police constable whom I had met and enquired yesterday.

Me:- Namaskar Sir, I got a call from LIU office Gyanpur that my file has come here.

Constable:-Ok I’ll check it. You can wait outside .

( I forgot to mention here that I had gone there with  one of my friend named Lavkush)
So I and Lavkush came out and sat there in the corridor.

Scene of corridor :-

I was sitting with my friend on the left side of office door and on the other side( right) the two police constable in red eyes and drunk mode were just having the argument with a weak man(30-35 years old) . The argument was totally vulgar abuses which I can’t mention here, being an Indian you people can imagine the situation. The matter was- that man wanted to divorce his wife ( as the man mentioned his wife has an affair with another man) but her wife had filed a case against him(man). The police men were making fun of him in vulgar ways that you don’t have stamina and power and all that’s why your wife……… rest you can imagine well . By the way let’s go to the topic.

After half an hour:-

I entered the office and asked the constable whether he’s done with verification. He stared at me with his eyes more opened and replied, ” itna jaldi ho jayega kya intejar karo bahar( it wouldn’t be so early, wait outside) .”
I came out and sat beside my friend.

After 15 minutes:-

Constable called me and told Munshi.( the person who writes the FIR ) that, “Sahab bata dijiye inko ki ho gya satyapan( Sir tell him that the verification has been done).

Munshi:- Beta Dakshina do aur jao.( Son, pay and go)

Me thinking what to say them, I just taken out 11 Rs from my pocket to offer him Dakshina .

Me:- Sir have it please. And thanks for the same.

Munshi( with anger staring with his eyes more opened at me) : – What the hell is this, are we beggar sitting here, my friend grinned at them. He bacame more angry. And told , ” listen you people go from here your file can’t be sent further. I’ll teach you the lesson of an argument with a police. ”

I ( thinking) :-beta abhi behas shuru kaha kiye.

He indicated us to get out I didn’t budge from there. I asked him, ” Sir how much amount you want and for what you are asking money, as I know there’s no any cost of verification, even there’s no any criminal case against me???” …

He replied, ” see if you are paying then only your verification would be completed otherwise it (file) would be here , wouldn’t be sent further.”

I asked him, ” how much amount you want? ”

Munshi looked at constable and gestured him to tell me the amount.

Constable gestured me his finger that he wanted 1000/ bucks.

Now the real argument began I became aggressive and began questioning. Eventually he told me to get out. I told Munshi , ” Pandey, mai kal subah ata hu tab aapki khabar leta hu.( Pandey I’ll see you at tomorrow morning).”

{Actually the Munshi was Shivkumar Pandey and the Person who had called me to inform, he was Rajesh Pandey.}

We came out of the police station . I called my Mama ji. Let me tell about my Mama ji  (Arun Maurya), he is a kingpin political leader in Achhawar (3kms away from Gyanpur) , he is former Block Pramukh and Jila Panchayat Sadasya of Aurai block.

Me( on call) :- Hello Charan sparsh Mama ji !

{ if someone says my mama ji Namaste or Namaskar insted of Pranam,he really assumes him as a mannerless, this is the reason I wish him more than Pranam i.e. Charan sparsh}

Mama:- Khush raho bhanje shri.

Me:- Mama ji, I’ve come for Police verification of my passport at Suriyawan Police station. But they are asking for money for the same.

Mamaji:- Who is asking ? Just do one thing go to police inspector and make me talk with him.

Me:- Ok Mamaji, wait I’ll call you after reaching there.

We started the bike drove towards the police station. After reaching there Lavkush went to park the bike & I headed towards the office of PI. Unfortunately the office was locked, and I came outside asked a constable about him(PI) .

Constable gestured me to a jeep which was just a stone’s throw from me and said, ” Sir is going for field inspection, see there.”

Hearing it instantaneously I ran towards  the jeep vigorously but couldn’t catch up it, because the moment I reached there the driver had already started the jeep and left from there.

{ At that moment I realized that no one can run faster than MS Dhoni (IND Vs BNG #t20worldcup). }

Lavkush looked at me and grinned, ” bhai aaj nai ho payega chalo ghar chalte hain.”
(” bhai it wouldn’t be today let’s go back to home.”)

I ignored him and called Mamaji.

” hello Mamaji , I couldn’t meet him as I reached here late, he had left already.” , I said.

” Bhanjeshri, I’ll suggest you one thing, better would be, if you don’t make me talk with him. You just make a call to SP Sir and tell him everything.”, Mamaji told.

I(thinking):-what the hell is now Mamaji is now doing, I’m here being the helpless and after 3 days I’ve to leave to Pune also,
And he wants  me to make a call to SP.

I didn’t respond him,cut the phone. He called me, but I didn’t pick up the call. He again tried, I received the call with little tantrum.

Me:- Ab kya hua? ( what happened now?)

Mamaji:- Listen beta you don’t be involved with politics, you being a well educated guy just face the problem with your ability. And never fear, I’m always with you.

Me(thinking):- what the use of being with me if you can’t even help me out.

“Alright ,I’ll tackle the situation , Charan Sparsh Mamaji ! “, I said.

My mood had been totally off and Lavkush was also saying to return home as he had his NTPC exam on coming Sunday.
We decided to return home.

At night

I visited the website of our district Sant Ravidas Nagar Bhadohi, downloaded the pdf file of contact details of  all officers of the district. I took out the SP’s no. and saved in my phone.

Suriyawan, Police Station, 11th March

       I reached the police station at 08:40 , parked my bike glancing the office & surroundings. I came near main entrance and dialled the no. Of SP , ” the subscriber you’ve dialled is out of coverage area.” , I heard. As it was a BSNL no. , I understood and waited for 2 minutes. Again I redailled, the ring began, after 4 rings.

SP:- Hello !

Me:- Good morning Sir, This is Akhilesh Maurya, speaking from Suriyawan Police station.

SP:- Sorry who is this?

Me:- Sir I am an applicant of passport, have come here for police verification. But they are asking me for money . They said if you don’t pay, your file would be cancelled.

SP:- who the hell is there, just make me talk with him. 

     I noticed everywhere, and got a man around 6 feet in hight, more wide than usual , in lungi and vest near the stairs. I headed towards him and asked him, ” Excuse me uncle.”
He looked at me, our eyes met, and he was nothing but that Munshi.

Let me tell you here call is on hold and everything was being so fast.

Me:- Arey Pranam Sir! Aapke liye ek phone hai bat kar lijiye. (There’s a call for you, just talk with him.)

He with one leg on second step and another on first step of stair case,looked at me and threw a tantrum look.

Munshi(in low voice):- who was there on call?

Me:- Sir, aap hi dekh lijiye kaun hai.( Sir you check it who is there.)

Munshi(with anger) :- just come up. I’m going to take bath. I can’t talk now.

I was really feeling dread to go up and thought why is he calling me there . But instantly I recollected myself and soothing my inner fear murmured to myself, ” Beta akhilesh, why to fear when MAURYA is here, just go up.”

SP sir was listening everything calmly, and suddenly he hanged the call.

I followed him and went up on 1st floor. He called me into his abode room. I entered , he offered me a chair and said, ” sit !”

On first floor of building(abode rooms of police personnel)

Munshi:- So who was the on call ?

Me:- SP Sir was there.

Munshi(politely):- Why did you call him son ?

Me:- I’m not going to pay which you asked
,that’s why I called him to complete my verification free of cost.

Munshi:- Arey beta, you didn’t need to call him, I had told you yesterday na, that come tomorrow,your verification will be done.

Me(correcting him):- Sir, you hadn’t called me for today. It was I , who told you that I’ll come tomorrow for the verification.

Munshi moved towards his cupboard, took out a packet of Good day biscuit and offered me with a bottle of chilled water.

I denied for it at first but later remembered that I’m an engineering student, being the same, I can’t resist my self from eating stuffs. So I finished it as soon as possible.

All of a sudden his Lenovo K3 note began to ring in this tone……….“shree guru charan saroj raj, niz man mukut sudhar…….”

“Pranam Sir! “, he spoke on call.
” Yes Sir, taking bath I’m just coming down.” He told.

(Actually the person who had called him was, PI )

The moment he hanged the call my HTC rang.

“Hello, who is there ? ” , I asked on call.

” Akhilesh Maurya se bat kar rhe hai na hum?”, he asked.
( “Am I talking with Akhilesh Maurya?” , he asked.)

“Yes , who is this? “, I replied.

“I’m Pannalal Prajapati, calling you from Suriyayawa Police station, where are you ? you had visited here before some time na, Just come fast , PI Sir wants to meet you. ” , he said.

” I’m here on the first floor, wait I’m coming down. “, I responded.

He(Munshi) wore his shirt and said, ” let’s go down, Sir is calling us. ”

I nodded and followed him to get down.

We came down to the office, a constable gestured us to outside the office. When we came out, saw the crowd of 8-10 constable and some common people standing around a table .

Looking at me a constable asked, “You are Akhilesh? ”

“Yes”, I said.

He gestured me to the centr of crowd. I moved ahead and saw the PI ,who was sitting on a chair in dabang style with his hip on the verge of chair’s corner and legs were spread.

I came forward and stood in front of him.

” From which village you are, beta? ” , he asked.

“Makanpur”, I replied.

” Passport banwa rahe ho, Videsh kamane jana hai ?” , he asked.
(” you are getting your passport, are you going abroad to earn?”, he asked.)

“No, Sir”, I said.

“Tab kahe banwa rhe ho? ” , he asked me again.

“I wanna go abroad for my honeymoon after my marriage . And I’m well aware of the police verification problems as I’m facing it now. I think I wouldn’t have much time to roam around the police station after my degree, that’s why I thought to get it now only. That’s it.” I told him and took a deep breath.

“Oooh, so why did you call SP Sir? ” , he asked me.

“Your constable and Munshi was asking me for money, that’s why I did.” , I responded.

He threw a tantrum look at Munshi and asked me, ” who was the constable?”

I gestured to that constable and said, ” he was. ”

PI called them both( Munshi and Constable) in front of him and upbraided them.

Finally he signed on my file and documents and said to me, ” you can now visit to SP office Gyanpur for further verification. Your file will be sent there via email”

I thanked him and headed towards the parking, all I observed there is that everyone was looking at me with their mouth opened, I felt myself like a hero .

I returned to my home . As next day was Sunday, so I decided to visit Gyanpur on Monday.

13th March 2016 , Gyanpur, SP office:-

I reached there at exact 10:15 am, with my friend Lavkush. We saw a deployed police man with Musket ( long barrel gun) , near office.

I went to him and asked, ” Who is Pandey Sir here in LIU office? ”

“His office is on 2nd floor but he didn’t come yet, wait here he comes around 11.” , he replied.

We were standing there with that police and saw a person in pure white shirt, wearing a vega helmet on his head came and parked his Passion Pro bike . Police told us that, he’s Pandey Sir, go and meet him.

We headed towards Pandey Sir, wished him Good morning after reaching near him.

” I’m Akhilesh Maurya, Sir. You had called me day before yesterday about the verification. ” I told him.

” Oooh, so you are that guy, who was asking me, why that 1500/ bucks. ” , he asked me .

” Yes I’m that guy. ” , I responded.

” So have you brought the money? If you have brought, just pay , get your verification done and go. ” he said it taking out a form from his rucksack.

I said, ” No, I haven’t brought it”

He said me to sign on that paper and asked me for photo. I gave him.

” Do you want your passport? ” , he asked.

” Yes of course , that’s the reason I’ve come here. ” I said.

” No , I think you don’t want it that’s why you are talking like this, by the way, your work will be done only if you pay. ” , he said with firm voice.

“Paise to mai dene se rha, aap batao hoga ya mai jau? ” , I said and Lavkush grinned.

I started to explain him everything which happened at Suriyawan. But he didn’t care about it at all and said to me, ” I’m from intelligence department, this SP can’t do anything in this case. By the way I would call you tomorrow, if you’ll become ready to pay, your work would be done, otherwise won’t. ”

“Don’t call me tomorrow, you call me today itself till evening as I’ll be in Acchavar, going to my Mama’s home. ” I said.

” Achhavar………..? At whose home?, ” he asked .

“Arun Maurya’s home, he is my Mama. ” I told him.

” Neta ji,……..and your Mama, do you have his no. ? ” he asked with curiosity.

“Yes” , I responded.

” Call him , I wanna speak to him. ” he said to me.

I called his no. And gave my phone to him. He,  on call “Pranam Neta ji, hum Pandey bol rhe hain LIU office se, ek mahashay aaye hai, khud ko aapka bhanja bata rhe hain , maine kaha rukiye check kar lete hain. ” .

He talked on call for 5 minutes and gave me the phone to talk.

Me:-hmmmm Mamaji, ?

Mamaji:- bhanjeshri aap sign kar do aur aur aao baki wo kar lenge. ( do sign and come, he’ll take care of rest. )

I hanged the call, thanked to Pandey Sir.

Pandey Sir:- Beta ab aap ekdam nischint rahiye, aap ka kam ho gya smjho. (don’t worry now, your verification has been done now.)

I thanked him again and headed towards the parking with my friend. He(lavkush) said, ” gajab source hai Bhai tumhari, hawa kar diya tumne ekdam. ”
I would have spoken a word to lavkush, Pandey Sir called me.

I went to him and he put his arm on my shoulder and murmured in my ear, ” aap ka kam to ho gya, magar ye bat kisi ko batana nai, ki bina paise ka ho gya.”
I assured him, but thought in my mind let my passport come once, than I’ll teach you.

After that we left from there and went to meet Mamaji.

On next day , I had to leave to Pune so we returned from there at that evening.

15th March, Gyanganga express at Daund junction.

I was sleeping at my upper birth , my phone rang, I checked it, Pandey Sir was calling. I received call, ” Pranam uncle! ”

” khush raho beta , just make me talk with your Mamaji, because seniors are asking for money they are not allowing to forward the file . ”

I called to Mamaji and told him to talk with him.

I reached at Pune, and checked my online status on Passport website, I got , ” verification is still pending at SRN Bhadohi. ”

I called Pandey Sir and told him , he assured me , it will be updated soon , the file had been sent further.

After 3 days , I got a message on my phone that, your verification has been done successfully, your passport is under printing, would be shipped soon. Reading the message I smiled and felt immense happiness.

After 4 days of that message, I got my passport at home. When I got it in Pune, I first kissed it, smiled and murmured, ” finally I got “.

So here everyone of you would be curious to know, how much I paid as bribes for verification. Literally speaking I paid them zero, and got my fresh normal passport of 36 pages in 1500/ bucks, which I paid online to Passport account.

Let me tell you one thing here, I talked with police personnel in well proper manner and I was polite through the process, maintained the decorum too. Whatever I have mentioned which you assumed to be out of decorum , that was only to make my real story interesting and nothing else.

Note:- All the names mentioned in story is fictitious, except mine and my friend’s. But the story is a real incident .

Thanks to you all from the bottom of my heart to read it.

I’ll be back soon to disturb you with my next blog, have patience till that. Take care .

JAY HIND