I volunteered for 5th Pillar many years ago and yes, the zero rupee note worked on many occasions. When any corrupted government official sees this note, they don't want the potential trouble of fighting with an activist organization like 5th pillar. They would just process the request without getting bribe and simply move on to prey on other innocent, helpless victims waiting in the queue. Of course, this worked only in the lower level of government offices like getting certificates, driving licenses, etc.