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New Delhi, 15 October 2008
Press Release
A long ‘defaulting’ East of Kailash resident brutally manhandles a BSES meter reader;
Police complaint filed
- A well-to-do resident of South Delhi’s posh East of Kailash area not only brutally manhandled a BSES meter reader but also threatened to implicate him in false cases
- Customer also forced the meter reader to write down a false statement – as dictated by him
- Meter reader had simply gone to download the customer’s latest meter reading
- Customer has been defaulting for long on his two BSES connections – accumulating Rs 1.11 lakh on just one them
- Even the Consumer Forum, after going through the facts of the case had ruled in BSES’ favour and asked the customer to pay the arrears – something which he has not done till date
- BSES has filed a police complaint against the customer
It is often very difficult to deal with those who misuse electricity. Brutality of these errant customers is not confined to officials of BSES’ enforcement teams alone – out to catch ‘power’ thieves. More often than not, it also extends towards its meter readers – whose job is to simply download meter reading.
Such a shocking scene was once again re enacted in South Delhi’s posh East of Kailash area recently, where an otherwise well-to-do customer (Madan Mohan Kathuria) – but defaulting in his electricity payments for long – not only brutally thrashed a BSES meter reader, but also threatened to implicate him in false police cases. Further, after illegally detaining him in his house and under duress, the customer made the meter reader give a ‘false’ statement – as dictated by him.
The errant protagonist in this episode is one Madan Mohan Kathuria – a resident of D -133, 2nd Floor, East of Kailash, having two BSES electricity connections – 2530 N5261080 and 2530 N 6210128 On both his electricity connections, Kathuria has been continuously and consistently defaulting – piling up huge arrears. On 2530 N 6210128 itself, his arrears have reached a staggering total of Rs 1.11 lakhs. Even the Consumer Forum, where the matter was being heard, after going through all the facts ruled in BSES’ favour and asked the customer to pay the pending arrears of Rs 1.11 lakh – something the customers has not done till date. The connection, after the Forum’s order has since been disconnected.
Earlier BSES’ meter reader Ravindra Prasad Semwal had gone to take the meter reading from the still active 2nd connection 2530 N5261080. On finding the meter box locked, the meter reader requested Kathuria for the keys. To ascertain the identity of the meter reader, the customer asked for his identity card – which the meter reader promptly showed. After this, Kathuria demanded to speak to a senior BSES official, which was also arranged. The moment he put the phone down, all hell broke loose. Kathuria forcibly pulled the meter reader inside his house and started manhandling, threatening and abusing him. He told the meter reader to do as he says or else he will have him implicated in ‘false’ theft and eve teasing (his wife) cases. Thereafter, he forced the meter reader to give a ‘false’ statement.
BSES has lodged a formal complaint with the Police.
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For further information please contact:
|
Prashant Dua |
Chandra P Kamat |
|
Corporate Communications |
Corporate Communications |
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39999870 / 9312007822 |
39999642/9350130304 |