The Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) on Wednesday countered allegations made by Mandi BJP MP and Bollywood actor Kangana Ranaut, asserting that she has a history of delayed electricity bill payments.
The clarification came a day after Ranaut, while addressing a public gathering in Mandi district, alleged receiving an inflated electricity bill of nearly ₹1 lakh for her Manali residence, where she claimed she currently does not live. She also criticised the state government calling it a “pack of wolves”.
Responding to her remarks, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, currently in Gujarat, said, “I don’t take her statements seriously. She frequently makes such comments.”
HPSEBL managing director Sandeep Kumar said that the bill of ₹90,384, issued on March 22, 2025, included unpaid dues of ₹32,287 and covered electricity consumption for January and February 2025. The domestic connection is registered in Ranaut’s name and is located at her Simsa village property in Manali.
Kumar further said that the connected load at her property is 94.82 kW—about 1,500% higher than the average household. Previous bills totaling ₹82,061 for October to December 2024 were paid late on January 16, 2025, while the January–February bill was cleared on March 28, 2025.
{{/usCountry}}Kumar further said that the connected load at her property is 94.82 kW—about 1,500% higher than the average household. Previous bills totaling ₹82,061 for October to December 2024 were paid late on January 16, 2025, while the January–February bill was cleared on March 28, 2025.
{{/usCountry}}Ranaut also receives government subsidies on her electricity usage, including ₹700 for February 2025, the MD added.
Naresh Chauhan, principal media adviser to the CM, said, “Her comments are an attempt to divert attention from her failures as an MP. No extra charges were levied; her claims are baseless and headline-driven.”
Several calls made to contact Ranaut’s team went unanswered.
Kangana hails PM Modi
Addressing a gathering in the Jarol assembly constituency, Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut lashed out at the Congress, citing pre-2014 scams like the 2G, coal, and fodder scams. She praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, “There can be a stain on the moon, but not a single blemish on him ‘Chand pe daag hota hai, unpe ek bhi daag nahin hai’...,” highlighting his clean image and leadership.