Two years’ RI for stealing power

Staff Reporter, NEW DELHI: A special court at Vikaspuri in the Capital dealing with electricity-related cases has sentenced the owner of a plastic factory to two years’ rigorous imprisonment and slapped an additional fine of Rs.82.46 lakh on him for stealing electricity.

According to the power distribution company BRPL, Puram Singh had been caught by an enforcement team stealing over 69 kW of power for running his mid-sized plastic factory at Ranholla in Nangloi. Subsequently a penalty of Rs.27.48 lakh – as per the provisions of the Indian Electricity Act, 2003, was levied on him. When he failed to deposit the penalty, BSES filed a case in the special court in December 2006.

“The court also noted that stealing heavy loads of electricity makes electricity a costly affair for law-abiding citizens. The court also refused to show leniency to the accused in this social crime. This is not the first time that Puram Singh was caught stealing power. In the past two years he has been caught stealing power on seven occasions. Several cases are going on against him,” said a BSES official.

According to the discom officials, “rampant power theft is being reported from the plastic factories – most of them illegal and operating in the areas of Ranholla, Kamruddin, Vishnu Garden, Khyala and adjoining areas. Over the last few months, in a massive crackdown on power theft in these areas, BRPL enforcement teams unearthed a power theft load of over a whopping 10,000 kW and booked over 510 cases”.

http://www.thehindu.com/2008/04/05/stories/2008040553750400.htm