Senior citizen fined for stealing electricity
20 April 2012 1:23 AM IST
A Delhi court has directed a 66-year-old man to pay a fine of over Rs four lakhs for indulging in the theft of electricity by "tapping" the main power line and by-passing the meter.
"To my mind, interest of justice shall be met if sentence of fine is imposed," Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) S K Gupta said, while directing the accused Sunder Singh to pay a fine of Rs 2.42 lakhs. He was also asked to pay Rs 1.61 lakhs as damages to the power company.
"The convict (Singh) is sentenced to pay fine of Rs 2,42,088," the ASJ said, adding that the accused was indulging in stealing nearly 13.366 KWs of electricity by directly tapping from the nearby BSES LV mains. "The meter was bypassed".
The court also held Singh as being liable to pay damages of Rs 1.61 lakhs to BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd for the loss it suffered during the period of theft.
"The convict is also liable to pay civil liability for theft of electricity. Accordingly, the civil liability on the basis of tariff rate is assessed at Rs 1,61,392," it said.
On September 16, 2008, a BSES team had inspected the premises of Singh at Palam here. He was caught indulging in the direct theft of electricity by tapping the main wires. The main switch of the meter was found to have been switched off.
The prosecution had alleged that the accused had failed to explain why a three-pin socket was fixed when the use of the electricity was through meter.
"I have no hesitation to hold that BSES has proved their case against Singh beyond shadow of reasonable doubt," the court said.
"To my mind, interest of justice shall be met if sentence of fine is imposed," Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) S K Gupta said, while directing the accused Sunder Singh to pay a fine of Rs 2.42 lakhs. He was also asked to pay Rs 1.61 lakhs as damages to the power company.
"The convict (Singh) is sentenced to pay fine of Rs 2,42,088," the ASJ said, adding that the accused was indulging in stealing nearly 13.366 KWs of electricity by directly tapping from the nearby BSES LV mains. "The meter was bypassed".
The court also held Singh as being liable to pay damages of Rs 1.61 lakhs to BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd for the loss it suffered during the period of theft.
"The convict is also liable to pay civil liability for theft of electricity. Accordingly, the civil liability on the basis of tariff rate is assessed at Rs 1,61,392," it said.
On September 16, 2008, a BSES team had inspected the premises of Singh at Palam here. He was caught indulging in the direct theft of electricity by tapping the main wires. The main switch of the meter was found to have been switched off.
The prosecution had alleged that the accused had failed to explain why a three-pin socket was fixed when the use of the electricity was through meter.
"I have no hesitation to hold that BSES has proved their case against Singh beyond shadow of reasonable doubt," the court said.
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