New Delhi, May 3, 2006

Press Release

Leading Jeweller caught for power theft – for the third time, Police called in

• Maharani – a leading city based Jeweller caught for power theft
• Caught thrice for power theft – in less than one month
• Continued to steal power – even after paying Rs 1.77 lakh in fines
• Confines and manhandles BSES Enforcement Teams
• Assurance by Traders Association to assist BSES in fighting power theft

“Power” gives a high – literally. It keeps drawing people back to it – whatever be the cost or rather the lack of it. And as was found by members of the BSES Enforcement Teams, in a raid yesterday.

In a raid that stretched well into the evening yesterday (May 2), BSES Enforcement Teams caught Maharani Jewellers – a prominent city Jeweller in Laxmi Nagar in East Delhi indulging in direct electricity theft of 12 KW. “Penalties of over Rs 2 lakh are liable to be imposed on the Jeweller”, informed a BSES official.

This is not the first time; this Jeweller has been caught for power theft. They have earlier been raided and booked on April 13 and April 20, 2006 and slapped penalties of Rs 1.77 lakh and Rs 1.38 respectively – for the same offence. “Ironically, the Jeweller has already paid penalties of Rs 1.77 lakh for the first raid conducted on April 13, 2006”.

Narrating the sequence of events, a BSES official said “Yesterday, when BSES Enforcement Teams raided the Jeweller for the third time – they had a surprise waiting for them. Owner of the shop and his staff not only prevented them from doing their mandatory inspection, they also locked the Enforcement Team members in a room and also misbehaved and manhandled them. They did not stop at this – they got wads of notes from the locker and threw them on floor – to make it look like an attempt of robbery by miscreants and finally called the police”.

Only with the arrival of the police and senior BSES officers – was the Jeweller’s bluff called off and it was apparent the Jeweller, inspite of knowing the truth about the Enforcement Team had deliberately and illegally confined them. The Police later took them to the area police station for questioning and further investigation into the case.

What perhaps saved the day for the Jeweller was the timely intervention by the representatives of the Laxmi Nagar Traders Association, who promised to extend BSES all the support in fighting the menace of power theft. In the presence of representatives of the traders association and the police, the Jeweller agreed to pay Rs 2 lakh in the next 48 hours (He has paid Rs 1.5 lakh since) and clear all remaining dues in the next fifteen days.  

“According to a BSES official “The Jeweller owes the company over Rs 5 lakh in accumulated dues – in addition to the penalties for the two raids. The Jeweller has not paid single paise – ever since his connection of 1 KW installed in 1999. BSES disconnected his meter in March 2006.

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