From a ₹10 Liquor Overcharge to a Citizen Anti-Corruption Platform: Chennai Engineer Builds ‘Makkal Saatchi’ to Document Everyday Bribery Complaints

One Small Irritation Led to a Bigger Question

While supporters of Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay celebrated his swearing-in ceremony, Chennai-based software engineer Deepak spent the day in an entirely different way.

Sitting before his laptop, he launched a website inspired by a complaint he had heard countless times from ordinary citizens.

The grievance was deceptively simple. Customers at government-run TASMAC liquor shops repeatedly complained that they were being asked to pay an extra ₹10 per bottle.

The amount was small enough for many to overlook, yet frequent enough to leave people frustrated.

“Everywhere I went, people spoke about this extra charge. It had become so routine that many accepted it as normal. But I wanted to understand whether it was merely a few isolated incidents or a widespread practice,” Deepak said.

With that objective, he created a website where people could report TASMAC outlets allegedly charging more than the printed retail price.

The Response Was Far Beyond Expectations

Deepak had anticipated a few complaints. Instead, he witnessed an unexpected surge of public participation.

Within days of launching the website, nearly 10,000 people visited the platform.

Hundreds of submissions poured in. Some users mentioned the names and locations of specific liquor outlets, while others uploaded photographs and supporting information.

The initiative soon attracted the attention of senior officials.

“By the third day, I received a call from a senior IAS officer who appreciated the idea. Officials associated with TASMAC also became aware of the platform,” he recalled.

What surprised him even more was that many people began using the website to discuss issues unrelated to liquor shops.

Citizens Wanted to Talk About Much More

As the complaints accumulated, Deepak noticed a clear pattern. People were not merely upset about paying an extra ₹10. They were looking for a safe place where they could describe their everyday struggles with public offices and government services.

Messages began arriving about alleged demands for money in land registration offices, delays in revenue departments, difficulties in obtaining electricity connections, problems in village panchayats and unpleasant experiences at police stations and government hospitals.

People also spoke about pending files, missing approvals and bureaucratic hurdles that they believed could only be resolved by paying bribes.

“I suddenly realised that this was bigger than TASMAC. What people really needed was a platform where they could narrate their experiences and feel heard,” Deepak said.

Birth of ‘Makkal Saatchi’

Motivated by these experiences, Deepak built another digital platform and named it Makkal Saatchi, meaning “People’s Witness.”

Launched on May 27, the portal allows citizens to anonymously submit complaints across 75 categories of public services. Users can describe instances where they believe bribery, harassment or abuse of authority has taken place.

The platform carries a simple but powerful message:

“Every bribe has a witness.”

“No office is beyond accountability.”

“Speak up. Reveal the pattern.”

Deepak says the platform belongs to no political organisation, government department, non-governmental institution or media group. It functions independently and does not seek donations or financial support.

A Political Supporter, But Not a Political Activist

Deepak openly describes himself as a supporter of Chief Minister Vijay and holds a membership card of the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). However, he insists that he has no role within the party structure.

“I do not personally know any senior leaders. After launching the website, some local party members took me to meet an MLA, but he was occupied, and I never got an opportunity to explain the idea to him,” he said.

For him, the platform is not a political project but a citizen-driven initiative aimed at documenting people’s experiences.

The Stories Leave an Emotional Impact

Since its launch, the website has received around 400 complaints, most of them submitted anonymously. A small percentage of users voluntarily provide their contact details.

Deepak says many of the complaints remain etched in his mind.

“The amounts mentioned in some complaints are not particularly large. What affects you is the helplessness in the narration. You can almost feel the frustration and despair of the people writing them. Some accounts are emotionally exhausting to read,” he said.

According to him, complaints related to TASMAC overcharging, land registration, electricity services, revenue administration and local civic bodies are among the most common.

Complaints Have Triggered Official Responses

One complaint alleged that a police station in Chennai demanded ₹50,000 to resolve a private dispute. The complainant also informed Deepak separately through social media.

After removing personal details, he posted the complaint online.

The allegation quickly gained attention, with several users tagging senior police officials and demanding action.

The following morning, Deepak received a call from a senior police officer. After being assured that the complainant would not face repercussions, he shared the details.

According to him, action was later initiated against certain personnel attached to the police station.

A Mirror to Everyday Experiences

Another complaint from Namakkal district alleged that land survey officials were demanding ₹10,000 from applicants, claiming the money was needed to recover the cost of newly introduced surveying equipment.

The allegation sparked discussions online, with some officials denying any knowledge of such practices.

Deepak repeatedly emphasises that his platform does not determine whether complaints are true or false. It simply records what citizens are experiencing.

Yet collectively, the submissions reveal a troubling picture of everyday interactions with public systems.

Some complainants speak of allegedly paying money for documents that should ordinarily be issued without difficulty. Others describe being asked for bribes in hospitals or government offices during moments of personal crisis.

‘I Am Not an Investigating Agency’

Deepak says he deliberately avoids naming individual officers because he lacks the means to independently verify every allegation.

“I cannot investigate cases like a law-enforcement agency. My role is much simpler.

I provide people with a space to speak, document their experiences and bring recurring patterns into public discussion.

Sometimes the first step towards change is simply ensuring that people are heard,” he said.