Gurugram: A video has surfaced allegedly showing two Japanese tourists being asked to pay a ₹1,000 bribe by traffic police for riding pillion on a two-wheeler without wearing helmet.
The scooter was being driven by a woman who was wearing a helmet, while the pillion rider was not. In the video, one of the police officers can be heard telling the tourists that they would need to pay ₹1,000 as a “fine” for the offence.
The officer asks for the payment in cash, saying, "Can you pay here or in court?" One of the tourists responds, "Can I use a Visa or touch?", referring to a contactless card payment.
The officer replies, "No Visa touch." The tourist then hands over two ₹500 notes to the officers, which are accepted without any receipt being issued.
According to traffic rules, the penalty for a pillion rider not wearing a helmet is ₹1,000. However, the fine is supposed to be paid digitally through the Parivahan app or portal. If an offender wishes to pay the fine on the spot, police are required to either: Provide a Point of Sale (POS) machine for card or UPI payment, or Issue a printed receipt using an e-challan machine. In this case, neither procedure was followed.
The cops accepted cash without issuing any formal receipt, raising serious concerns about the transparency and legality of the transaction. The tourist also alleged that many other riders in the area were not wearing helmets, but were not being stopped or fined, suggesting possible selective enforcement or targeting.
Police Action
The viral video garnered over 386,000 views within just a few hours. Following the public backlash, the Gurugram Traffic Police Department suspended the officers involved in the incident.
The department also urged citizens to come forward with any information related to bribery or misconduct involving traffic personnel, assuring that their identity will remain confidential.
