What should a government employee do if they are offered a bribe?

Correct option is B

The correct answer is (b) Refuse the bribe and report the incident immediately.

Explanation:

• If a government employee is offered a bribe, the correct and legal course of action is to refuse the bribe and immediately report the incident to the appropriate authority such as the Vigilance Department, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), or Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), depending on the jurisdiction and nature of the department.
• Accepting or ignoring a bribe offer without reporting it is against the principles of integrity and accountability in public service and also be considered abetment under anti-corruption laws.

Information Booster:

• The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018) is the primary law that deals with corruption-related offenses involving public servants in India.
• According to the Act, both giving and accepting a bribe a punishable offenses.
• The law also provides protection to whistleblowers, encouraging government employees to report bribery without fear of victimization.
• Reporting mechanisms include dedicated helplines, online portals, and direct communication with vigilance or law enforcement agencies.
• An employee who fails to report bribery may also be subject to departmental action for misconduct.