Kundapur: Woman who argued with cops maintains that she was asked to pay bribe


Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SHP)

Kundapur, Jan 28: The police have filed a case against a woman for stopping them from performing their duty.

In their complaint, the police have alleged that the woman identified as Shanti Picardo, did not allow her vehicle to be checked, obstructed police from doing their duty, refused to accept notice served under the Motor Vehicles Act and also abused the policemen, shot a video alleging they took bribe and made it viral on social media.

However, Shanti Picardo narrates a different version. According to Picardo, she was on her way to a wedding when she was asked to pull over.


Screengrab of the viral video

“The cops expected me to come to an abrupt halt which was not possible given probable speed on a highway. After pulling over, I checked whether I being approached by a traffic cop. Seeing no one turn up, I headed to the police car to inquire on why I was asked to stop,” she said.

“The cop in question accused me of not wearing the seat belt. I was taken aback by the accusation and tried to convince the cop otherwise,” she added.

Shanti said that she refused to accept the charge and submitted necessary documents for verification. She revealed that she had fastened the seat belt only around her waist as she suffered a wound in the neck. The seat belt was rubbing against her wound and hence she wrapped the belt only around her waist.

“I explained to the police that I have a wound but they paid no heed,” she said.

Shanti claimed that the cops threatened to not return her documents if she did not pay them the amount. "They asked me to pay Rs 500 for not wearing a seat belt, and if I refused, they told they would not return my documents."

"When I refused to pay the bribe, they threatened to slap a case on me. This behaviour was unruly and unacceptable and I recorded the conversation between them and me," she added.

She claimed that the video recording forced the cop to return her documents who feared on being defamed. Further, when she returned from the wedding, she was stopped again for the same reason. But this time, Shanti said her car was allowed to pass.

Shanti has questioned the ethics of the cops who accused her on false grounds even after submitting the required documents. She blamed the inefficiency of the police officials, who failed to handle the situation responsibly. Shanti hopes the guilty are penalised so that no one in the future loses faith in the system.

 

 

  

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Comment on this article

  • Frenkie, Udupi/KSA

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    'People' are running out of India doing scam of crores and our police are only best in catching people 'wearing seat belts'.

    DisAgree Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • Flavian, Mangaluru/Kuwait

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    Partly it looks like pre-planned.
    Nevertheless, there are so many incidents where bribery is on the rampant in police/traffic dept., Corporation level and so on. Even political horse trading is popular which fact is well known to all.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shankar, Mangaluru

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    She should have a medical certificate advising her not wear seat belt.
    If you are in any way medically unfit to drive and still you drive, it is a crime. You are not only endangering yourself, but also other road users.
    You can't say my right leg is injured and hence i couldn't apply the break ..after hitting another vehicle.

    DisAgree [13] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Tuluva, MANGALORE

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    "she had fastened the seat belt only around her waist" see now true story is coming out. She made a video of her version only. Guilty should be punished. If she is not well, then why she is driving. We readers also should not comment listening onesided story. This is the moral of the story.

    DisAgree [14] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Anand R, Mangalore

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    Cops should keep some dashcam or video cam to record all the incidents happening when they are patroling. That might prevent this type of allegations from offenders

    DisAgree [2] Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • Aloysius, Kinnigoli

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    Certain things they don't want to go on record like give and take.

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • J.F D SOUZA, Attavar, Mangalore

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    In the pretense of implementing not only traffic rules everything happens nowadays which leads to bribe to settle cases amicably. Thats the tragedy.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [17] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sunil Pinto, Dubai/ Udupi

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    Wound on neck or anywhere will not hold in the court of law. In abroad, wound or no wound, u will pay the fine or lose points or black mark on DL, if u don't wear your seatbelt or jumping signal. Even in aircraft, if u have wound on stomach u have to wear seatbelt atleast to show the air hostesse as safety procedure . U cannot act smart and say I will not wear seatbelt and make your own law... Law is law.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • James, Belman

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    The lady is totally right. Police has no right to ask the money on the spot and refusing her documents to return.
    Police to be penalized.

    DisAgree [9] Agree [19] Reply Report Abuse

  • Allen, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    Either she has to pay the fine of ₹500 and settle the matter or she can pay the fine later at the police station or in the Court, till then her documents will be detained by the Police.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Santosh, Manglore

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    This will be considered a medically unfit condition to drive. Here the person has to stay at the home or keep the driver. Making videos of other persons without their concern or posting others videos on social media is an offense.

    DisAgree [29] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • Anand Dsouza, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    Yes Shanti was medically unfit to dri ve. If you are not able to wear seat belt then you should have hired a driver.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [18] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sunil K, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    The lady by her own admission did not wear the seat belt properly. The seat belt is a safety device and is not a fashion statement nor a comfort item. If she was not in a position to fasten the seat belt as required then she should have asked someone else to drive her or traveled by a taxi or Uber or Ola etc.

    The fact that the cops may have attempted to extract a bribe is no longer 'legally' relevant as the driver is guilty of not abiding by vehicle safety regulations. In addition there will be a strong case of defamation of the police through video and harassment on social media. It would be advisable for the lady to apologize, pay her fines and reach an amicable settlement; otherwise she has defeated her own case.

    DisAgree [18] Agree [32] Reply Report Abuse

  • SP Kumar, Mangaluru

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    I dont think police did mistake here.Something went wrong.

    DisAgree [31] Agree [29] Reply Report Abuse

  • Kudla Stories, Kudla

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    The problem is with us. We all are trained to gove doggu salams to cops politicians other govt babus and thos has made them think they are dping us a favour. If a traffic cop stops us, the cop should be the one walking up to the vehicle that has been stopped. But in our country it is ulta. Looking at the video it is clear that the cops have a trend. The home gaurd stops the vehicles, the Maharaja sitting inside checks the document and the minister standing outside is the one where the bribe should be paid. Now to escape a enquiry, the coos simply took an easy way out by framing the lady. Not bad at all.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [27] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ravi, Mlore

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    I believe the lady .The police know they have a upper hand with people using the road . Even if someone comes and drives into our vehicle , for the report the cops are to be bribed. Again get to the court for the case which we are told its not our fault earlier the lawyers say, tell yes to the Judge, or if we contest you loose the next 2 years and have to attend the court dates for someone who drove rashly. Such is the plight of our Courts!!! Very pathetic

    DisAgree [7] Agree [48] Reply Report Abuse

  • HILARY D'SA, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    The version " wound around neck and belt tied around waist" does not hold good.
    Either belt tied or not tied.if not in good health, should not drive, it is one's safety.
    Lady is in trouble and oversmart to argue.

    DisAgree [12] Agree [61] Reply Report Abuse

  • Oliver, Udupi

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    Regardless of the reason behind her not wearing seatblet. All the police can do is give her a ticket citing the violation. she doesn't have to pay the ticket right away either. they were clearly trying to take a bribe

    DisAgree [6] Agree [24] Reply Report Abuse

  • sri_elder, Karkala

    Wed, Jan 29 2020

    Oliver- well said.. Corrupt practices are still in place.. blackmail with false case no good

    DisAgree Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    We saw the video & Yeddyurappa will be very angry ...

    DisAgree [16] Agree [38] Reply Report Abuse

  • Deshbhakht, Mangalore

    Tue, Jan 28 2020

    Imagine the trauma caused by such action is a driver is heading to appear for an exam ??

    Our police officers need extensive training.

    DisAgree [8] Agree [48] Reply Report Abuse


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