Gurugram: Policemen were today found stealing electricity from power lines for their household use when a vigilance team carried out a raid at the Police Lines area here.
The team from Haryana Power Utilities found 17 households allegedly receiving direct electricity supply without meters installed.
Besides the power theft, seven meters were found tampered with and these will be sent to a laboratory for testing, a spokesman of Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam said.
There were about 500 flats and houses in the Police Lines where police personnel reside with their families. The raid, which started at 6 AM, continued for about five hours.
“Seventeen households were found to receive direct electricity supply without meter. The theft in this manner was photographed and videographed by the team. The wires used in direct supply was also taken into custody by the team and their connections have also been disconnected. Apart from this, seven meters were found tampered,” he said.
The spokesman said there is a provision to impose fine and jail term which can go up to three years for those found guilty of stealing power.
“The amount of fine of policemen apprehended is being assessed on the basis of actual power load in their houses.
They would be served notice to pay the fine after the assessment. In case on non-payment of fine, legal action would be initiated against the accused by registering an FIR,” he added.
—PTI