NEW DELHI: A factory and showroom owner engaged in manufacture and sale of travel bags and travel accessories has been remanded to 14 days in judicial custody by a special court in a power theft case.

According to the power distribution company BSES, the accused, Tilak Raj Chopra, had been caught twice in the past nine months for stealing electricity and penalties of around Rs.11 lakh had been imposed on him.

The accused was first booked for power theft on May 31, 2005, when he was allegedly caught red-handed stealing 33 KW of electricity by directly hooking from a nearby BSES LV mains for commercial purposes. As per guidelines under the Indian Electricity Act, 2003, the accused was penalised Rs.11 lakh.

According to BSES, he was caught stealing power a second time during an enforcement raid in February 2006. An FIR (No 130/06) was registered against him at the Nabi Karim police station.

After the first raid in May 2005, BSES Yamuna Power Limited moved the Special Court as Chopra failed to deposit the penalty amount within the specified time frame. The accused also avoided summons of the Special Court. Finally, the Special Court issued a "kurki-zabti" (attachment of property) notice against Chopra. The accused then appeared before the court and was sent to Tihar Jail for 14 days.

Responding to the development, a BSES official said the company had intensified its enforcement activities and spruced up the legal machinery at its disposal. In the past one month, BRPL and BYPL have booked over 1,900 accused for indulging in power theft and booked electricity theft of over 10,000 KW. Over 250 cases have been filed in the Special Courts in August this year.

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