New Delhi, February 27, 2006

Press Release

A retired ACP, a posh South Delhi Guest House & four SPD contractors

booked for power theft of 3000 KW. Rs 3.25 crore penalty imposed.

• Anticipatory bail of retired ACP rejected; two others sent to Tihar Jail for tampering meters
• BRPL continues its campaign against the Big Fish

As part of its 360 degree approach to power theft, the BRPL Enforcement Department is continuing its campaign against the Big Fish. In recent raids conducted, the BRPL Enforcement team detected six (6) big cases of power theft involving the high and the mighty. They were caught stealing over 3000 KW of power and were imposed a cumulative penalty of over Rs 3.25 crores.

(A) Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police tampered meter in South Delhi’s Vasant Kunj

The menace of power theft has taken epidemic proportions in Delhi and afflicted all strata of the society – including now an individual well versed with the law of the land.

As part of its ongoing anti-theft drive in the posh South Delhi area of Vasant Kunj, the BRPL enforcement team raided a house in the D Block and to their surprise found no meter on site. On looking around, the Enforcement Team officials found the meter lying in an open condition inside the flat. Two persons - Kunal (a resident of P 3 Budh Vihar, Rohini) and Deepak Kumar (a resident of RZD 34 Nihal Vihar) were caught red handed by the members of BRPL Enforcement Team in the act of tempering the meters.

A PCR van was immediately called in and a FIR 43/06 was registered against the accused at the Vasant Kunj Police Station under sections 135,138 and 150 of the Indian Electricity Act and section 379 of the IPC. The accused were arrested by the local police and produced before the Magistrate on Sunday and sent to Tihar Jail.

Investigations into the case revealed that the consumer, a retired ACP, was in constant touch with the accused on their mobile number 9312699285. Fearing action, the ACP applied for an anticipatory bail, pleading that he is 76 years old and of infirm health. His plea was rejected and though he was asked to surrender, he is absconding.

(B) 20 room Safdarjung Enclave Guest House caught stealing 100 KW electricity – fined Rs 20 lakh

In a separate case, BRPL Enforcement Team stooped down on a guest house with 100% occupancy in the elite neighbourhood of Safdarjung Enclave and found it running 20 Air Conditioners, 20 Geysers, TV’s and other electrical appliances by using over 100 KW of stolen power.

The meter which was inspected in the presence of the management’s representative revealed that the upper and lower covers of the meter were tampered and refixed with help of an adhesive. Internal wires of the meter were also found tampered, rendering the mater incapable of recording energy consumption.

A case has been registered against the Guest House under the provisions of Dishonest Abstraction of Energy (DAE). A penalty of Rs 20 lakh has been slapped on them. The Guest House’s meter was disconnected a few weeks earlier for not paying his electricity dues of over Rs 4.25 lakh

(C) BRPL conducts simultaneous raids - 4 SPD contractors caught stealing power of over 3000  

     KW in South Delhi, fined over Rs 3 crores.

In a well planned and a well coordinated operation BRPL Enforcement Teams conducted simultaneous raids across its licensed area - a first in the recent history of Delhi and arrested 4 Single Point Delivery (SPD) contractors in South Delhi - engaged in unscrupulous and illegal activities.

These SPD contractors (inherited by BSES) besides stealing electricity of over 3000 KW were illegally charging a premium from the residents and not giving BSES its due share of collections – all in complete disregard and in violation of the terms of the contract. A total penalty of over Rs 3 crores has been imposed on them.

Details of the simultaneous raids carried out on SPD contractors.

BSES is taking strict action erring SPD contractors – including cancellation of contracts. When it took over distribution in our licensed area, there were 480 SPD contractors – now less than 200 remain. Those contractors found violating the agreement, cheating and stealing electricity have been weeded out of the system, said a BSES official.

According to Mr Lalit Jalan, Director BSES, “These incidents confirm our analysis that power theft is committed by every section of the society. Unless we join hands to weed out this menace, Delhi would continue to be deprived of quality, reliable, continuous and competitive electricity supply.”

Deployment of modern technology has made it possible for BSES to monitor the consumption patterns of its customers and any aberration is immediately flagged at the BSES’ end. In all these cases, there was a disparity between energy supplied and consumed, said a BSES official.

BSES, Delhi’s premier power distribution company, is committed to ensuring quality and reliable electricity supply to all its consumers. 

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