BSES enforcers lose jobs in lockdown; continue charging 'fines'

new delhi: Large scale job losses have continued to have ripple effects in Delhi as the police here said they had nabbed three people for posing as BSES enforcement officials and collecting fines from traders in the Mayur Vihar. All three had lost their jobs owing to the COVID-19 induced lockdown and used to work with a contractual company that had been hired by the BSES for enforcement activities. Significantly, the police also found that the trio had no criminal

antecedents.

Police have identified the accused as Kuldeep Singh (31), Jitender Kumar (29) and Manoj Kumar (30) and said they were arrested from East Delhi. "They used to charge traders having their shops on New Kondli Market in Mayur Vihar Phase-3," one official said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Jasmeet Singh said they used to work in DSY Company, which was working on behalf of BSES as an enforcement agency on a contractual basis.

"Due to lockdown, the company lost its contract and all the persons working with it became jobless. Since all the accused were well versed with the working style of the company, they formed a gang with a common intention to dupe people in the name domestic meters installed at their premises," the DCP said.

Another official said, "They used to tell victims that they had installed a domestic meter but the consumption load needed a Commercial Meter. They would claim that these residents had violated norms and charge a fine of up to Rs 50,000. They then used to start the negotiation and collect whatever amount was settled."

The East district police have received five such complaints in which, residents claimed they were duped more than Rs 1 lakh. The Special Staff (East) team under inspector Satender Khari nabbed them and police have said further probe is ongoing.