Accountability Desk · Guide
How to report a bribe in India: every state’s anti-corruption helpline
If a government official asks you for money to do their job, report it. Here is each state’s anti-corruption agency, with the helpline, WhatsApp number, email and complaint page its own official website gives.
Checked on on each agency’s official site, linked in the last column. Where a site lists no number, we say so rather than guess.
Before you report
- Note who asked, their post and office, what the money was for, how much, and when.
- Do not pay if you can avoid it. Giving a bribe is itself an offence, and a person compelled to pay is protected only if they report it within seven days.
- Report to the agency for the official’s government: the state’s bureau for state, municipal and panchayat officials; the CBI or the CVC for Union government and central public-sector staff.
- If the complaint is genuine, the agency can verify it and catch the official accepting the money. Keep any messages or recordings you have.
Union government and central bodies
| Where | Agency | Helpline | Online complaint | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) | Central Bureau of Investigation - Anti-Corruption Division For bribery by Union government officials and employees of central public-sector bodies. | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | cbi.gov.in | cbi.gov.in |
| Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) | Central Vigilance Commission For corruption by officials of the Union government, public-sector banks and central PSUs. | 1800110180, 1964 | Not listed | Not listed | portal.cvc.gov.in | cvc.gov.in |
| Lokpal of India | Lokpal of India Covers the Prime Minister, Union ministers, MPs, Union government officials of all groups, and bodies set up or funded by Parliament or the Union, among others. | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | lokpal.gov.in | lokpal.gov.in |
| CPGRAMS | Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), Government of India For grievances about a Union or state government service. A grievance portal, not a crime report. | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | pgportal.gov.in | pgportal.gov.in |
States
| Where | Agency | Helpline | Online complaint | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Anti-Corruption Bureau, Andhra Pradesh | 1064 | 8333995858 | complaints-acb@ap.gov.in | acb.ap.gov.in | acb.ap.gov.in |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh Police | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | arunpol.nic.in |
| Assam | Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Assam | 1800-345-3767 | Not listed | adgp-vac@assampolice.gov.in | Not listed | dgvigilance.assam.gov.in |
| Bihar | Vigilance Investigation Bureau (VIB), Bihar (Vigilance Department, Govt of Bihar) | 1064 | Not listed | spvig-bih@nic.in | Not listed | betastate.bihar.gov.in |
| Chhattisgarh | Not confirmed on an official site | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | acbeow.cg.gov.in |
| Goa | Anti Corruption Branch, Directorate of Vigilance, Goa | Not listed | Not listed | adv-dv.goa@nic.in | Not listed | goa.gov.in |
| Gujarat | Anti Corruption Bureau, Gujarat | 1064 | Not listed | cr-acb-ahd@gujarat.gov.in | acb.gujarat.gov.in | acb.gujarat.gov.in |
| Haryana | State Vigilance & Anti Corruption Bureau, Haryana | 1064 & 1800-180-2022 | +91 94178-91064 | acb@hry.nic.in | Not listed | acb.haryana.gov.in |
| Himachal Pradesh | State Vigilance & Anti Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB), Himachal Pradesh | 0177-2629893 & 1064 | +91 89887 00100 | adg-acb-hp@nic.in | hpsvacb.hp.gov.in | hpsvacb.hp.gov.in |
| Jharkhand | Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jharkhand The Jharkhand Police site lists two numbers for the bureau: 0651-2281337 on its contact page and 0651-2281530 on its home page. Neither is toll-free. The email is a Gmail address, as the official site publishes it. | 0651-2281337 | 9431105678 | adg-acbjh@gmail.com | Not listed | jhpolice.gov.in |
| Karnataka | Karnataka Lokayukta (including its Police Wing) | 18004255320 | Not listed | kla.kar@nic.in | Not listed | lokayukta.karnataka.gov.in |
| Kerala | Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB), Kerala | 1064 | 9447789100 | vig.vacb@kerala.gov.in | vigilance.kerala.gov.in | vigilance.kerala.gov.in |
| Madhya Pradesh | Lokayukt Organisation, Madhya Pradesh - Special Police Establishment (SPE) The Lokayukt lists only its office number, 0755-2540948 (Bhopal). Complaints can also go to the Special Police Establishment office at each divisional headquarters. | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | mplokayukt.nic.in |
| Maharashtra | Anti-Corruption Bureau, Maharashtra The bureau's FAQ also lists the toll-free number 1800 222 021. | 1064 | +91 9930997700 | acbwebmail@mahapolice.gov.in | acb.maharashtra.gov.in | acb.maharashtra.gov.in |
| Manipur | Vigilance & Anti-Corruption, Manipur (Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Police Station) | Not listed | Not listed | support-vigilance-ac@manipur.gov.in | Not listed | dvac.mn.gov.in |
| Meghalaya | Meghalaya Lokayukta (no police anti-corruption complaint channel found) | Not listed | Not listed | lokayukta-meg@gov.in | Not listed | lokayukta.meghalaya.gov.in |
| Mizoram | Anti Corruption Bureau, Mizoram A landline, not toll-free. | 0389-2333975 | Not listed | sp-acb@mizoram.gov.in | acb.mizoram.gov.in | acb.mizoram.gov.in |
| Nagaland | Nagaland State Vigilance Commission - Directorate of Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Police | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | dpar.nagaland.gov.in |
| Odisha | Vigilance Directorate, Odisha | 1064 | Not listed | dirvig@nic.in | vigilance.odisha.gov.in | vigilance.odisha.gov.in |
| Punjab | Vigilance Bureau, Punjab | 1800 1800 1000 | 9501 200 200 | complaint2vb@punjab.gov.in | vigilancebureau.punjab.gov.in | vigilancebureau.punjab.gov.in |
| Rajasthan | Anti Corruption Bureau, Rajasthan | 1064 | 9413502834 | complt.acb@rajasthan.gov.in | Not listed | home.rajasthan.gov.in |
| Sikkim | Sikkim Vigilance Police | Not listed | Not listed | dir-vig-sik@nic.in | Not listed | sikkim.gov.in |
| Tamil Nadu | Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Tamil Nadu No toll-free line on the official site. Headquarters: 044-22321090. Every district has a vigilance detachment where a written complaint can be lodged. | Not listed | Not listed | dvac@nic.in | Not listed | dvac.tn.gov.in |
| Telangana | Anti Corruption Bureau, Telangana | 1064 | 9440446106 | dg_acb@telangana.gov.in | acb.telangana.gov.in | acb.telangana.gov.in |
| Tripura | Vigilance Organization, Government of Tripura | Not listed | Not listed | spvigilance-tr@gov.in | Not listed | gaar.tripura.gov.in |
| Uttar Pradesh | Anti-Corruption Organisation (ACO), Uttar Pradesh Police 9454402484 is the Anti-Corruption Organisation control room, not a toll-free line. The English page gives aco@nic.in and the Hindi page aco@up.nic.in. Online complaints go through the state's Jansunwai anti-corruption portal. | 9454402484 | Not listed | aco@nic.in | jansunwai.up.nic.in | uppolice.gov.in |
| Uttarakhand | Vigilance Establishment, Uttarakhand | 1064 | 9456592300 | vighq-uk@nic.in | vigilance.uk.gov.in | vigilance.uk.gov.in |
| West Bengal | Directorate of Anti Corruption Branch, West Bengal | Not listed | Not listed | acb-wb@nic.in | Not listed | acb.wb.gov.in |
Union territories
| Where | Agency | Helpline | Online complaint | Source | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Anti-Corruption & Vigilance Unit, Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Not listed | Not listed | spac.and@nic.in | Not listed | vigilance.and.nic.in |
| Chandigarh | Vigilance Department, Chandigarh Administration | +91 8360817378 | +91 8360817378 | vigilance-chd@nic.in | Not listed | chandigarh.gov.in |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Anti Corruption Unit, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu Police | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | ddd.gov.in |
| Delhi | Anti Corruption Branch, Directorate of Vigilance, Government of NCT of Delhi The Anti Corruption Branch lists no email or online form; its duty officer numbers are 011-23812905 and 011-23812906. | 1031 | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | delhi.gov.in |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Anti Corruption Bureau, Jammu & Kashmir | 1800 180 7152 | +91-9419678060 | director.vigilance@jk.gov.in | Not listed | acb.jk.gov.in |
| Ladakh | Ladakh Police (no separate anti-corruption bureau site found) | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | police.ladakh.gov.in |
| Lakshadweep | Not confirmed on an official site | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | lakshadweep.gov.in |
| Puducherry | Vigilance & Anti-Corruption Police Unit, Puducherry (under the Chief Vigilance Officer) | Not listed | Not listed | spvac@py.gov.in | Not listed | cvo.py.gov.in |
Questions
What should I do if an official asks me for a bribe?
Do not pay if you can avoid it, note who asked, for what and how much, and report it to your state's anti-corruption agency as soon as you can, using the helpline or complaint page listed for your state. If the complaint is genuine, the agency can verify it and catch the official accepting the money.
Is giving a bribe also an offence?
Yes. Since the Prevention of Corruption Act was amended in 2018, giving a bribe is an offence under its section 8. A person who was compelled to pay is protected only if they report the matter to the police or an investigating agency within seven days of paying.
Which agency should I approach?
For an official of a state government, a municipality, a panchayat or the state police, the state's anti-corruption bureau or vigilance department. For an official of the Union government, a public-sector bank or a central public-sector company, the CBI or the Central Vigilance Commission. The Lokpal hears complaints against Union ministers, MPs and Union officials.
Can Oquilia act on my complaint?
No. Oquilia is a news site and cannot investigate or act on complaints. Report to the agencies listed here. If you hold documents showing corruption in public office, you can send them to editor@oquilia.com; we publish only what official records support.
Corrections
Helplines change. If a number here is wrong or out of date, send the official page that shows the correct one to editor@oquilia.com and we will correct it. Oquilia’s reporting on anti-corruption cases is in the Enforcement section, and our audits of government data are in the Data Audit.