Arnab Chatterjee 05 March 2016

Case related to consumption of alcohol publicly in kolkata

Hi All,

This even took place more than 8 years back when I was a very young 22 yrs old person came out of the engineering college and was working in an MNC. I was in Kolkata then and this even took place in the local police station where I reside.

I along with one of my buddies was drinking alcohol in a play ground 200 mtrs away from my house, And all of a sudden 3 policement came charging towards us and took us to their vehicle standing near the play ground immediately. Upon asking them they told us that somebody from the local area had informed them that a few people are drinking in the play ground. So eventually we were taken to the local police station.

Then we were asked to submit our wallets and spectacles, mobiles or any other belongings to one of the polices sitting over there at the police station. We did it and they put us into the cage/behind the bar. We both were decimated mentally by then. And we were so scared that we didn't even inform anyone not even our parents. After an hour a person (Later came to know he happens to be a lawyer) came to us and asked the police officer to release us. Then he made us sign in two sheets of papers and then they took our fingerprints on that paper as well. After that, that lawyer asked us to hand him over Rs. 400 each. Upon telling him that we had only Rs. 250 each he asked us to hand him over that amount and then told us that we were free to go.

Neither we have received any paper since then nor nobody has even contacted. We still do not know what were the charges and how this is going to affect our future. But this is all that had happened on that night.

I had made my passport just one year before this even took place. And it's on the verge of expiry. Now I'm planning to apply for the passport renewal. And I'm confused how to put forward this matter to the concerned authority if at all I need to do that. In passport application form there is a coloumn where in I'm supposed to write about the case where I was ever convicted or charged with criminal proceedings. But I don't know whether the event that I shared with you was a criminal offense or something else. Was I convicted for a crime? Was I charged with a criminal offense?

Neither I have any document regarding the same nor I have any idea. If at all I did a criminal offense why was I not taken to the judge ever? Why did I not get any notice till date? What was that all about? I was finger printed & put behind the bar for an hour yet I have no documents with me.

My question to the revered members of this community is should I mention this case while filling up the passport details or I should skip it? And even if I put it forward I don't know anything about that case - so I have no documents to validate it.

Please let me know your thoughts on the same. I'm really looking forward to have some guidances on this issue.

Thanks in advance.

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3 Replies

Arnab Chatterjee 05 March 2016

By the way, I forgot to mention that they(Policewala) didn't even conduct the medical test. Medical test is necessary in such cases I presume, so I thought I should be sharing it with you all and that in turn will help me get a clear idea about my concerns.

Tushar Swar (Practitioner in HR Labour Laws & Compliance) 05 March 2016

Hi Arnab, post reading your incident, i personally feel that, there was no case has been register on your name, since there is no FIR registered or any communication till date. I thinks, its general trick by police to grab the money from innocent people, who are not not aware about laws.. If FIR would have been registered, then Police should have been to produce you nearest Magistrate court within 24 hrs. & i dont thinks that, this case need to mentioned in your renewal of Visa application. if you would done this, then you will be invitation for trouble.

Arnab Chatterjee 05 March 2016

Hi Tushar. Thanks for your advice. Even I have been thinking the same all these years. Firstly no medical test was conducted, no document was handed over, no contact was established all these years. But the one thing that kept me on the toe as far as this case is concerned is I was finger printed. However I'm now quite sure that I shouldn't disclose it while filling up the visa application.

Thank you once again.