Pune: MSEDCL detects power theft worth Rs 98 lakh, cops book two

In a surprise inspection, MSEDCL officials found that an electricity metre of the building had been tampered with and a secondary remote circuit was attached to it for the theft of power.

Maharashtra discom detects an alleged electricity theft of the tune of over Rs 98 lakhs (Representational pic)

The Anti Power Theft flying squad of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has detected electricity theft of 2.04 lakh units, equivalent to Rs 98 lakh, over the last 18 months. The theft was done by tampering with the metre using a remote circuit at an under-construction building in Ravet. The police have booked two persons, including the developer of the project.

An FIR was registered in the case at the Ravet police station in Pimpri Chinchwad Sunday following a complaint by the officials of the flying squad.

In a surprise inspection at the building construction site, MSEDCL officials found that an electricity metre of the building had been tampered with and a secondary remote circuit was attached to it for the theft of power.

The builder along with a senior staffer of the project have been booked under Sections 135 (Theft of Electricity), 136 (Theft of electric lines and materials), 137 (Punishment for receiving stolen property) and 138 (Penalty for breaking seal) of the Indian Electricity Act 2003.

In January this year, MSEDCL had said that in the four months since September, they had detected 6,428 cases of power theft in five districts under the Pune Division in which illegal power consumption equivalent to billable amounts of over Rs 7.7 crore was made. The MSEDCL has been conducting dedicated drives and surprise checks through the flying squads to detect power thefts in Pune Division that comprises Pune, Solapur, Kolhapur, Satara and Sangli districts.

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