A day after it was launched, the new anti-corruption helpline number has the people of Delhi hoping that incidents of corruption faced by the common man will come down drastically.Launching the service on Wednesday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal described it as a “helpline” that would help catch bribe-seekers and said it was not a “complaint number”. The helpline would instruct the caller on how to conduct a sting operation by secretly recording the accused’s demand (in audio or video) to create the ‘first evidence’, on the basis of which government’s anti-corruption team will lay a trap to nab the offender red-handed. This is the third promise of the Aam Aadmi Party to be fulfilled, after the decision of free supply of over 650 litres of water to each household, and the halving of electricity charges for those using up to 400 units a month.

Action will be taken within 24 hours of the first evidence being submitted to the state vigilance department, Kejriwal claimed. In the next few days, a four-digit number will be created for the helpline, making it easier for citizens to remember it. The service has been set up under the chief minister’s office and all cases would be passed on to the vigilance department after evidence is submitted.. He said the department has not come out with any special plan to protect the complainant, but those who ask for it would be provided protection under existing rules. “The idea is to create fear among people involved in corrupt practices. I am confident that once our hoardings, advertisements and radio jingles giving details will be out, it shall curb the problem by up to 90 %. People would fear asking for bribe,” the chief minister added. Kejriwal also said that in coming days he would review the working of the 181 helpline which was constituted in a rush without enough back-end work. “For now, I have allowed it for another three months. However, in the coming days I shall review it,” he added.