Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Power theft case against former MLA

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD JULY 15. A case of power pilferage has been booked against D.K. Bharatsimha Reddy, a former MLA belonging to the Congress, under Section 39 of the Indian Electricity Act as amended through the recently introduced State anti-pilferage enactment.

According to S. Surya Prakasa Rao, Director (Commercial), and P. Kodanda Ramiah, SE, both of the Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited, who supervised the July 4 inspections in Jubilee Hills leading to detection of the power theft in the house of Mr. Reddy, the former MLA is liable to punishment with a jail-term from 3 months up to five years and a penalty of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 50,000.

This is the first time that a power theft case has been filed against a politician.

They, however, explained at a press conference here this evening that there was compounding provision in the law using which he could pay the amount and get away with the punishment. The compounding amount was estimated at Rs. 14,000 and the assessed value of the power lost through the theft at Rs. 2.85 lakhs. The amounts would be finalised after further assessment by the Divisional Engineer of the area, the competent and quasi-judicial authority in the matter.

The modus operandi adopted in the ex-MLA's house was that pieces of film were inserted into the meter to prevent the meter disc from revolving, the officials said.

They showed the meter to reporters with its cover glass view cracked with a small gap in between the cover and the glass on the left side through which the film was inserted.

Mr. Surya Prakasa Rao rejected the plea made by Mr. Bharatsimha Reddy that he was innocent and that the number cited in the notice served on him was quite different from his own number.

He said the consumer number of Mr. Reddy was rightly noted down by the inspection staff at the time of inspection which, in fact, was signed by his wife, D.K. Aruna. But the number was wrongly shown in the notice served later and it was a typographical error.

The number introduced in all other records was found to be correct.

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