New Delhi, November 20, 2006

Press Release

Gang busted in Sainik Farms

Engaged in providing illegal connections and fake meters

Gang mastermind remanded to Tihar Jail for 14 days

· Gang providing illegal connections and fake/defective meters busted in Sainik Farms

· Master mind behind the illegal operation arrested and sent to Tihar Jail for 14 days

· Illegal practice involved stealing from BSES LV mains

· Three customers of Sanjeev were using nearly 40 KW of stolen electricity, amounting to nearly Rs 7 lakh in penalties

· Since July 2002, BSES has booked 157 cases of power theft in Sainik Farms, stealing over 2000 KW of electricity, amounting to nearly Rs 6 crore in penalties

Stealing electricity seems to be a custom for many Delhiites – cutting across classes and areas. Aiding and abetting this illegal phenomenon are numerous gangs and racketeers, who deploy a variety of illegal methods to steal power. The legal machinery, including the Courts, has started taking a serious note to curb the menace of power theft.

Recently, BSES’ efforts to curb power theft received a fillip when one Sanjeev, the mastermind and an illegal provider and facilitator of electricity in South Delhi’s ultra posh area of Sainik Farms (also one of the top ten power theft areas in BRPL) was sent to Tihar for 14 days by an Additional Sessions Judge.

Earlier, a BSES Enforcement Team apprehended Sanjeev, who along with an accomplice, was illegally laying cables around some posh residences of Sainik Farms. The Police were immediately informed and they took the accused into custody.

The duo used to illegally supply stolen electricity by installing ‘dead’ meters which did not record any consumption. “Their illegal network was powered by illegally tapping into the BSES LV mains” said a BSES official. Premises of three of Sanjeev’s and Khan’s, another gang member, customers living in the Anupam Garden area were inspected and they were found illegally using approximately 40 KW of electricity, amounting to nearly Rs 7 lakh in penalties. All together these three houses were using six refrigerators, seven television sets, three water pumps, four geysers five air-conditioning units, close to 30 tubelights, 15 bulbs and 27 fans.

Speaking about the raids in Sainik Farms a BSES spokesperson said, “This recent raid by BSES enforcement team that has unearthed an illegal network in this posh area just goes to prove once again that power theft is rampant in all sections of society.” The spokesperson further added, “In the last four years, BSES Enforcement Teams have booked 157 cases of power theft, stealing over 2000 KW of electricity amounting to nearly Rs 6 crore in penalties. This magnitude of power theft definitely adversely affects the power supply to our customers in the surrounding area likes Mehrauli, Saket and Chitaranjan Park and puts excessive strain on the infrastructure”

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

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For further information please contact:

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