Bengal government rewards honest cab driver

Kolkata, Feb 19 (UNI) In a heart-warming gesture, the West Bengal Government today honoured a taxi driver with a cash reward of Rs 10,000 for his honesty in returning a bag containing Rs 7 lakh to its owner.

Handing over the cheque to Prodyot Paul at a simple ceremony at the Writers' Buildings, state Transport minister Subhas Chakraborty said Paul had found the bag containing several gold ornaments and wads of cash after he dropped off a passenger at a hotel on March 20 last year.

Without a second thought he rushed to the hotel and tried to identify the person failing which he deposited the bag at the New Market Police station.

The bag was finally returned to the owner after due verification.

Impressed by his honesty, the police recomended his case to the state transport department for a suitable reward.

Speaking to reporters, the 42-year-old driver was all modesty personified and refused to claim that he had done something out of the ordinary.

''I only tried to follow the adage - honesty is the best policy - which I learnt in my childhood,'' he said.

UNI