This is a true story and could happen to anyone in India–perhaps is already happening.

I am a Consulting Engineer living in Gurgaon at PrincetonEstate, DLF City Phase-V. My Office is about 3 km away, Institutional Area(opposite the upcoming swanky Sushant Lok Metro Station). My daily travel grind(thankfully pleasant) is on this road passing through PARAS Hospital , PetrolBunk and the Epi-centre of a Apparel House. I swear I know every damn pothole on this stretch including the tadpoles living in them (thanks to the miserly rain). I had not ventured beyond thissacred passage during the week beginning17-Aug-09.

Well, I finally did venture out on the evening of 21^stAugust to attend an Indo-Sino SchoolExchange Meeting at the Maurya Sheraton,New Delhi. My son was participating in a Shri Ram School-No# 1 Kunming School China, student exchange programme. He has been to China for a fortnight staying with aChinese student and now it was his turn to return the favor to his Chinesecounterpart, who was living with us for almost ten days now. We were on the last leg and the Meeting was tosavor the learning’s of the Exchange with the participating students, parents,schools, Embassy officials getting together for "High Tea". I had kept my Mobilein the silent mode during the festivities. This was the day of rain mayhem in Delhi when we all remembered the joy of Venice, cursed the poor infrastructure and gave flight to the roofof Delhi Airport. It too wanted a space in the sky?

Drunk with High Tea, at the time of return, I noticed about 14 missed calls from a particular MobileNumber. I called up the number to enquire, when a person calling himself apoliceman (only on request for identity) from Gurgaon informed that my car (he mentioned thecorrect Registration Number) was involved in an accident on 20-Aug-09 - the previous day, 'between12.30 & 2pm', near Sheetla Road, Old Gurgaon and that a child has been injured and hence Hospitalized. The person said that I should rush to the Guragon Bus Stand to 'settle on a compromise' or else face arrest and that a FIR/Case would be filed against me. I was absolutely shocked, but calmly told him that I was at my Office on the particular day & time and that after Office(7.30pm) I had directly returned home and surely there must be a mistake. Nevertheless, the person insisted that I come over to the Gurgaon Bus Stand to hammer out a compromise-meaning, I pay up! He again called after about an hour by which time I was terribly 'shaken & stirred', grudgingly passed it off as a crazy call and switched-off my mobile for the night. I had also tried to trace the number and could only get as far it being a Vodophone number. You bet, I had a sleepless night and slept with all kinds of ghosts and with many questions ringing. How did the guy get my mobile number? How could somebody so blindly implicate me when I had never been near the area (about10 km away) in the recent past?

The next day (22 Aug) I courageoulsy switched on my Mobile spent the morning learning how to record an incoming call on my Nokia N81. Late inthe afternoon, I received a call from a person claiming to be the Councilor of Rajiv Nagar, Gurgaon. He repeated the above incident explaining that the feet of a child has been crushed and that my car number was noticed by the parents of the child. I made him reveal the date & time of the incident (In fact he prompted me ‘to tell’ the time of the accident!) He then said that the parents of the child are contemplating an FIR on me and that I should come for a compromise at the Police station or else, face the consequences in Court. I politely answered that on the particular day & time I was fully at my Office (working hard at my Desk) and had not been anywhere near the place of accident and added that I do not have a Driver, nor had I given mycar to anybody on that day. I denied the accident and repeatedly insisted that I had not been involved in any accident recently and this must surely be a case of mistaken identity. Further, I had only traveled between my Residence at DLF Phase-V and my Office on that day& time and that we have Biometric Attendance recording & Access Control System at the Office to prove the same of me and my car. He was welcome to the Office to see the same. Nevertheless, he has made up his mind, "pronounced me guilty" and said that the Court would deal with people like me. Wow! With the newly acquired skills of the morning, I recorded the call.

What does one do in such a situation? I thought I’ll fightback - The countless ordinary-to-super-Hero movies serenaded in front of me. Idid no wrong and had nothing to fear! I spent the next few hours (and days) calling up all the BIG people I knew, seeking support & advice. Through suchcontacts I finally could get to talk to the ASP of DLF Area. I visited the Gurgaon Police Website, made an On-line Complaint (Intimidation &Threatening,Mental Harassment ) and e-mailed the same to the ASP. However, I did not receive any acknowledgement of registration of Complaint. He was kind enough to confirm that the first callwas indeed from a 'genuine Policeman' and that an FIR has been filed against me in the Gurgaon-West Area! Oh!

I explained and cried out my fears on the injustice done - to the ACP, who advised me to talk to the DCPof Gurgaon –West and also forward the e-mail Complaint. Through friendly sources I managed to secure an appointment with the DSP of Gurgaon-W, on 24-Aug-09, at his Office in the Mini-Secretariat. I went 'fully armed' with all Office records to show 100% presence of Self & Car at the Office on that day. I also played the mobile phone recording. The DCP patiently listened to my story called up the Police Station to come over with the FIR & Case Files, read the FIR and investigated the Policeman in my presence. He raised many questions which his man could not answer. The DCP then suggested that the case be closed as there was enough evidence to prove that I was not at theplace of accident an my Office had also vouchsafed in this regard. The Policeman was to visit my Office to check first-hand the Access Control & Biometric Systems, if required.

It is over a week now and to this day I have not received acopy of the FIR nor has the Policeman visited to check facts.

I looked back in wonder over the nightmarish events. How atrocious? How amazing! An FIR being filed at the speed of light –unbelievable(it happens only in India?). People plunder, steal, rape, murder, burn down bodies & public property and stay 'light years' away from an FIR or a Case. Where, the ever corrupt Policeman and 'the parties' smellan opportunity to make money (perhaps, ultimately an Insurance Company maycough up the bucks) things move with awesome speed. Think about the time spenton such frivolous baseless accusations when thousands of cases are pending inthe courts. It is apparent that the easiest way to put-down someone (especially an honest person) in India is to simply get a case slapped on him – he will spend the rest of his life fighting the injustice done to him, while it is business as usual for theperpetrators. There is no freedom (in the real sense) in India-somewhere down there, a thin red line separating lawlessness and fair play justice is disappearing awfully fast.

If I could not move "some contacts" what would have happened? I admired the Gurgaon DCP-W, a smart young IPS Officer. He understood and saw some reason. Ha! There is 'hope', in a hopelessly incompetent Police System whose first duty is to safeguard the citizen and enable him do productive work for the Country. Is anybody listening? Oh India! Please wake up! Jai Hind!