New Delhi, May 22, 2007

Press Release

Legal action against government official

Charged for tampering meters & then using forged documents to conceal fraud

· Accused admits paying Rs 18000 to get his meters tampered

· Pays another Rs 5000 to get his ‘tampered’ meters replaced with stolen meters.

· Accused and his accomplice forge documents to regularize the stolen meters

An alert BSES Business and Vigilance Teams recently came across a unique case, where the customer – a government employee – was trying to have his ‘stolen electricity meters’ regularized by using forged documents.

The customer, Ramji Ram, a resident of Plot No 28-B, Shankar Park, West Sagarpur, accompanied by one Sanjay, recently visited the BSES’ Palam Division Office to have his two “new” meters regularized. He even submitted copies of the Meter Change Reports (MCR’s). The vague request made the Business Manager suspicious and he sought the Vigilance Department’s help.

On investigation, the accused admitted that he paid Rs 18000 to Sanjay to get his meters tampered/slow. After a few weeks, Sanjay asked for another Rs 18,000 to get the tampered meters replaced by ‘stolen meters.’ Ramji Ram gave Sanjay Rs 5000 and both of them then prepared MCRs – which was shown to the Business Manager with a request to regularize the connection.

“BSES has a fool proof case against both the customer and Sanjay. We are in the process of taking appropriate legal action under the applicable legal provisions and sections of the Indian Electricity Act, 2003 and Indian Penal Code,” said a BSES spokesperson, saying that there are many consumers who get tempted by ‘imposters and frauds.” He appealed to such consumers that they refrain from entertaining such “thieves”.

The BSES spokesperson said that since April 2006, the Special Courts have sentenced over 160 power thieves to jail, amounting to a cumulative of over 2000 man days in prison. “The legal and the government machinery have begun to take notice of the menace of power theft. Recently, the Parliament passed a Bill, making electricity theft a cognizable offence,” he added.

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

For further information please contact:

Prashant Dua	Chandra P Kamat
Corporate Communications	Corporate Communications
39999870 / 9312007822	39999088/9350130304