New Delhi, February 23, 2006

Press Release

Two sent to Tihar for stealing power for a Marriage pandal (venue)

·         Marriage pandal raided for the first time in recent history

·         Pandal contractor (tent-wala) arrested on the spot – again a first in recent history

·         City Court rejects bail application of the contractor; sent to jail till 7 March 2006

·         30 KW stolen for solemnising marriage celebrations – Rs 15 lakh penalty imposed

·         BSES warns consumers against stealing power on such auspicious occasions

The Marriage pandal was exquisitely decorated! The bride’s family had spent their hard earned money on the decorations and the exotic food. They were anxiously waiting for the groom to arrive. Just before the groom arrives – members of the BSES Enforcement Team, on a power theft raid troop in.

This may look like a scene straight out of a Bollywood blockbuster – but it was a real life scene at Aram Bagh, near Videocon Towers at Jhandewala on 22 February 2006. The BSES Enforcement Team caught the contractor, responsible for erecting the fateful marriage pandal, red-handed. The pandal was well lit - complete with chandeliers, focus lights, spot lights and mast halogen lights.

It’s not that electricity was never stolen for such functions in the national capital. Stealing power was rather a routine. But the moot point here is that BSES has for the first time in recent history got the thieves (pandal contractor) arrested from the scene of the crime. A FIR 79/06 was registered against the accused - Ashok Thakur and Vishnu – at the Paharganj Police station and subsequently the City Court rejected their bail application and remanded the duo to judicial custody till March 7, 2006.

“Power thieves in Delhi are a smart lot. They hoodwink by planning to the last detail. In this case also the pandal contractor had placed a generator at the venue, so as to give the impression that power was being supplied from it. But the Enforcement Team smelled a rat. They asked the contractor to switch off the generator. And even after switching off the generator, all the lights continued to glow – thereby giving away their Machiavellian game,” said a BSES spokesperson.

The BSES Enforcement Team assessed that 30 KW of power was being stolen by the pandal contractor. A penalty of over Rs 15 lakh has been slapped on the accused.

“Marriages in Delhi are very pompous and colourful and lakhs of rupees are spent on the arrangements and decorations. But in most cases, it has been observed that people

do not want to spend even a little amount on the legitimate consumption of electricity, even for such auspicious functions. The result is that, they have to face embarrassing moments, such as in this case,” said the BSES spokesperson.

Urging consumers to keep a check on erring pandal contractors and to save themselves from embarrassment, the BSES spokesperson said: “Power theft is a criminal offence and anyone caught stealing faces charges under section/s 135,138 and 150 of the Electricity Act, 2003 and Section 420 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). These offences carry an imprisonment of upto three years, fine or both.”

“People are requested not to steal electricity during such auspicious functions. We provide tatkal electricity connections for such occasions. Customers are advised to contact the nearest BRPL / BYPL office for details regarding the same,” said Mr J P Chalasani, BSES Director. He warned that BSES would keep a strict watch on such functions to ensure that power is not stolen and that honest consumers don’t pay for the dishonest.

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