[Resolved]  Indian Postal Department — Postmaster seeking bribe for payment on maturity of MIS A/c's

To
Post Master General
Department of Post and Telegraphs
Samastipur District
Bihar-848114

Sub: Complaint against Ex-Postmaster of Dalsing Sarai, Post Office-848114 : Mr. Gangadhar Jha

Dear Sir

I had two MIS accounts of Rs. 2, 00, 000 and 50, 000 each which matured in January. I visited the Dalsingh Sarai Post Office on April 19. 2008 at 10.00 am in the morning along with my father Shri Jai Jai Kumar Thakur, in whose name the accounts were opened to get the payment for the same as I stay in hyderabad with my parents and visit the place once in a year. On enquiring on the counter it was said that the cash is not available so the payment cannot be made. I explained the urgency of the situation as my marriage was scheduled on 22nd April, 2008 and I needed the money badly. I requested them to issue a cheque in that case so as to enable me to deposit the same in my local bank a/c, but they refused to accept the voucher at the counter. I approached the postmaster for the same and he asked me for some kharcha as the amount was big and will take time for processing which I refused and kept insisting. He rashly told me submit the same at the counter and went out for tea. When I went to the counter they again refused to accept saying that the postmaster has not instructed them. I waited for the postmaster to return and approached him once again. After, insisting for payment for a long time he asked the person at the counter to accept the voucher. The voucher was accepted at the counter, round seal of post office was stamped on it and forwarded to postmaster for signature.

The postmaster kept it pending as I waited outside. After waiting for some time I approached the postmaster again on which insisted on getting the voucher signed by some witness whom the Post Office should know. On enquiring what kind of a person would that be, the postmaster referred to the agents sitting near by for which I knew they would charge. I argued as to why witness was required but he refused to listen to me and insisted on getting signatures of some witness. I approached an agent and somehow managed to get his signature as witness and waited for further processing after submitting the same to the postmaster. The postmaster kept doing other jobs clearing other things that came through agents and openly accepting money for the jobs and kept my job pending. I approached him again on which he said that the amount was huge and will take a long time for processing and that he has worked a lot all these years and cannot do so much work any further. When I argued he threatened me to throw out of the post office. I waited while he did his other jobs. At around 1.00 p.m, he started winding up his work. On seeing this, I approached him once again for payment for which he replied that he does not work after 1.00 p.m on Saturdays. I was surprised at his behaviour and insisted him to write on the voucher as to why my payment was not cleared and why I was kept waiting till now. He refused in the beginning but on insisting, he wrote on the voucher to come on Monday i.e 21.04.2008 and signed. It was no use coming on Monday for me as I was leaving for Baroda(my marriage place) and he very well knew that.

I was able to get my payment smoothly on 25.04.2008 as the postmaster has changed and a new postmaster had taken charge.

I some how managed my marriage and other events without that money but I was shocked at the corrupt behaviour of a postmaster level person.

In view of the above backdrop, I request you to initiate action against Mr. Gangadhar Jha, Ex-Postmaster, Dalsingh Sarai, Post Office so as to avoid other people from meeting the same fate. I will be forced to knock the doors of Banking Ombudsmen and Consumer Courts if appropriate action is not taken against the erring postmaster.

I can produce the Withdrawal form with Post Office Seal, Postmaster’s signature asking me to come on 21.04.2008 (Monday) and witness signature of an agent which was given back to me without being processed as I refused to bribe.

If this is happening to an educated person like me, one can imagine the fate of hapless uneducated rural guys at the hands of such corrupt officials.


Thanks and Regards


Navneet Thakur
Manager
Oriental bank of Commerce