The social media is turning out to be a powerful tool against corruption in the hands of the common man. A railway security personnel has been suspended for allegedly taking bribes from passengers in lieu of providing them seats, an act which was caught on a mobile phone camera and shared on social media.
The incident reportedly occurred in a Sampark Kranti Express, where the Government Railway Police (GRP) constable Amil Malik, posted in Ghaziabad, was extorting money from passengers travelling in the general compartment, in lieu of allowing them to take seats. The incident was captured on the mobile phone camera of a passenger, who then shared it and the video went viral.
“On April 8, Mr. Punit Gaur tweeted a video clip to Minister for Railways Mr. Suresh Prabhu on his twitter account, showing a uniformed personnel extorting money from passengers travelling in unreserved compartment of a train,” said a Northern Railway spokesperson. Based on the clip, Mr. Suresh Prabhu immediately asked the concerned authorities of Northern Railway, North Central Railway, North Western Railway and North Eastern Railway to identify the uniformed personnel and initiate action against him, the spokesperson said.
“The uniformed personnel in the video clip was identified as Mr. Amit Malik, posted as constable in Uttar Pradesh (U.P.) Govt. Railway Police at Ghaziabad. He was suspended with immediate effect by his superiors and a case has also been registered by GRP/GZB U/S 384 IPC, U/S 7/13 Prevention of Corruption Act & 29 Police Act,” the spokesperson said.
The Ministry of Railways is one of the most proactive ministries of the government in responding to requests, complaints and suggestions of the public through various social media such as twitter. What started as a two member team monitoring social media, is now a 24X7 set up of many more officials who even burn the midnight oil to respond to tweets immediately.
