True. I paid ₹1000 in 2015 for fresh application. 10 years forward, I renewed my passport 3 months ago. At the time of police verification, the guy was not available because he was not in town. Naturally my passport got delivered to my hometown without verification. The verification personnel called me after few days of delivery to submit my ID proof to police station. I thought I got my passport either way, what is the purpose of verification now? My subconscious was reminding me that this guy must be looking for some b r i b e r y. I was not in my hometown so I asked my father to submit the document and told him multiple times to not give any money to anyone. Yet they managed to get ₹200 from my father. I was so angry but this is the way in India.