MEERUT, May 13 -- The electricity department claimed to have uncovered power theft to the tune of 7.6 kilowatt at the residence of a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader in Bareilly on Monday. Officials described it as the biggest electricity theft detected during a day-long campaign.

The case came to the fore in Uncha village of Faridpur at the house of Samajwadi Party's district vice-president Mohd Tariq, also known as Tariq Little, who resides there with his brother Sabiuddin. During inspection, the enforcement team discovered illegal connections (locally known as katia) to power air-conditioners and supply electricity to nearby shops from the residential connection, officials said.

Executive engineer Vipul Kumar Jain said that ACs were being...