The BBMP told the Karnataka High Court on Friday that Bescom had installed an electricity transformer on Church Street by encroaching on a huge portion of the footpath. The transformer was allegedly the cause of “electrocution” of a 37-year-old engineer in May last year.
The BBMP Commissioner brought to the notice of the court that Bescom neither sought permission from the BBMP to install the transformer nor had the BBMP accorded permission.
The BBMP pointed out that two 990 kVA transformers, circuit breakers, and other components were installed by encroaching on the footpath to the extent of six feet in width and 34 feet in length.
The report was filed following an earlier direction of the court during the hearing of a petition filed by family members of victim, Manoj Kumar Vasanthrao Patil, who was the vice-president of Sundaram Auto Components.
Compensation sought
The petitioners have sought Rs. 29.81 crore as compensation for the loss that they had suffered due to his death.
They have alleged that Manoj was “electrocuted” due to negligence of Bescom.
However, the BBMP, in its objection, has stated that the petition was not maintainable as disputed facts required to be settled in a civil court through a suit.
Justice Ram Mohan Reddy said that Bescom had failed to submit documents providing correct information on installation of the transformers on Church Street.
While counsel for the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission told the court that it had no role to play in such issues, counsel for Bescom stated that a copy of the BBMP’s report was not made available to them.
Bescom had denied the allegation of the petitioners and had contended that the post-mortem report does not categorically attribute the cause of death to electric shock but only states that death was due to cardiac arrest and that “electrocution being one of the reasons [for cardiac arrest] cannot be ruled out”.
Further hearing has been adjourned till July 23.
