New Delhi, Aug. 4 -- In a major development in the crackdown on electricity theft in the capital, the Special Electricity Court at Rohini, presided over by Judge Prashant Kumar (Ld. ASJ), has convicted two Delhi residents for power theft in separate cases investigated by Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL).

In the latest case, Balram Rai, a resident of Shalimar Bagh, was found guilty under Sections 135 and 138 of the Electricity Act, 2003, for electricity theft and meter tampering. The charges stem from a July 31, 2018 inspection by Tata Power-DDL's enforcement team at his commercial premises, where tampering of the electricity meter and unauthorized e-rickshaw charging was detected. The connected load was recorded at 18.045 KW, categorised as non-domestic, and a civil liability of Rs.13.56 lakh was imposed.

In a related but separate case, Mukesh Kumar, a resident of Mangolpuri, was sentenced to three months in prison and fined Rs.13.78 lakh for directly stealing power from Tata Power-DDL's low-tension aerial bunched cable (LT ABC) line. The raid, conducted on February 21, 2017, uncovered that electricity was being used for household purposes and e-rickshaw charging. The theft was concealed under a meter registered in the name of his mother, Krishna Gupta. Kumar was immediately taken into custody after the court pronounced the sentence on July 8. These two cases bring Tata Power-DDL's total convictions for FY 2025-26 to seven, with many more cases in the pipeline.

A Tata Power-DDL spokesperson emphasised the impact of such offences on the broader public, stating, "Electricity theft is a serious offence that undermines not only the power distribution system but also impacts honest consumers. These convictions reinforce our commitment to strict enforcement against power theft."

The spokesperson urged citizens to report power theft, saying the court verdict boosts Tata Power-DDL's resolve to fight it and public support is key to a more accountable power system.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.