While the Indian government talks of trying to end the bribery culture with new laws or regulations in the country, a police official in Uttar Pradesh state has been captured in a video clip justifying such a culture.
The 36-second video, shared on Monday by various journalists, shows a police official interacting with schoolchildren during a workshop.
"Even in your experience, you'll realise that there is no better department than the police. If the police take money (or bribe), it also gets the work done. Go to another department, they take money, but the work will not happen", the official said.
However, soon after the video went viral, the state's Unnao District Police, in a tweet, said: "The higher official was informed on the case and the whole matter will be investigated".
Some social media users in a lighter vein said that this may be the first time police have accepted the truth with such honesty. "Why an inquiry for speaking the truth".
To end bribery in India, the federal government has made changes in laws over the last decade, including through the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act 2018, The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013, among other steps.
But the implementation of these laws is still a big question, as India ranked 80 out of 198 countries in a corruption perception index report from 2019.