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Kumaraswamy booked for ‘electricity theft’ during Diwali. Ex-CM clarifies
The former Karnataka CM said that it was not his fault but of a private decorator.
The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company on Tuesday registered a case against former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy after Congress accused him of drawing power illegally to his residence on Diwali, PTI reported.
The case against Kumaraswamy was registered by the Vigilance Wing of BESCOM at its Vigilance Police Station. He has been booked under Section 135 of the Indian Electricity Act (theft of electricity).
The development comes after the ruling Congress posted a video of Kumaraswamy's residence along with a statement on social media platform X, criticising the JD(S) leader and son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
“The lone honest person in the world HD Kumaraswamy's JP Nagar residence was illuminated with decorative lights with illegal power connection directly from the electric pole. It is a tragedy that such poverty has struck a former CM to steal electricity!” the Congress wrote.
It further added: Didn't you hold a press conference and say "Karnataka is in the dark" and now you have lit up your house with stolen electricity?” it added.
In response, Kumaraswamy said it was not his fault but of a private decorator who gave the connection directly from a nearby electricity pole. He added that he immediately got the connection removed and took the electricity connection from the meter board of the house.
“I am sorry for this indiscretion. Let BESCOM (Bangalore Electricity Supply Company) officials come and inspect and issue a notice. I will pay the fine,” Kumaraswamy responded on X.
He also criticised the Congress for making a big deal out of a "petty issue".
To this, the Congress said that Kumaraswamy should be ashamed for dismissing electricity theft as a petty issue. "How much more looting of the state can be justified as a "trivial matter"?" it asked.
