Powerloom unit operator fined ₹5L for power theft

A district court has convicted a powerloom unit operator from Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra in an electricity theft case and imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh on him. In

A district court has convicted a powerloom unit operator from Bhiwandi town of Maharashtra in an electricity theft case and imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh on him. In his order on February 29, district judge PP Jadhav held the accused, Gufran Ahmad Ilias Ansari, 45, guilty under the Electricity Act, 2003, and imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh.

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In his submission, assistant public prosecutor (APP) Vivek Kadu told the court that MSEB officials on November 5, 2003, conducted an inspection of the powerloom unit operated by the accused in the Roshanbag area.

Following the inspection, the electricity meter installed at the factory, registered in the name of his father Mohammad Ilias Karamatali Ansari, was removed for pending arrears of ₹9,22,000, he said. Between May 2003 and November 2003, a direct power supply was taken in the factory. During this period, there was a theft of 4,800 units of electricity valued at ₹1,44,000, Kadu told the court. A case was registered and the investigating officer visited the factory and seized a 30-m cable used for theft, he said.

Gufran Ansari had been running the unit in absence of his father. The accused was arrested on November 17, 2003, he said.

The judge said, “The amount of theft is ₹1,44,000 and arrears of ₹9,22,000 are shown against the accused. While deciding the offence, the amount of theft of electricity has to be taken into consideration and not the arrears.” Judge Jadhav said section 135 of the Electricity Act prescribes imprisonment of up to three years or a fine three times the amount of theft of electricity or both.“It will be proper to impose only a fine (of ₹5 lakh) on the accused since the incident had occurred more than 16 years ago,” the court said.