Nagpur: In a major breakthrough, MSEDCL managed to trace an electrician who used to help industrial consumers tamper their meters and thus cause revenue losses to the discom. The electrician Shrikant Thakre has been arrested by Kamptee police on the basis of a complaint lodged by MSEDCL.
Bhalchandra Khandait, regional director of MSEDCL, told TOI that a special checking drive was launched for industrial consumers in Mouda subdivision. The drive was carried out in Maa Umiya Industrial Estate, off Bhandara Road, too. Five low tension (LT) industrial consumers were found pilfering power.
When the consumers were interrogated they spilled the beans and said that they had been helped by Thakre. MSEDCL then lodged a police complaint against him in Kamptee police station. The theft amount was assessed at Rs31.10 lakh of which the discom officials recovered Rs20.20 lakh.
Khandait said that MSEDCL had launched a special drive to nab people who help consumers in pilfering power. “Most consumers do not know how to tamper meters. It is these electricians who do the job for them. They are therefore special targets for us,” he added.
The operation was conducted under the guidance of Khandait and chief engineer of Nagpur zone. The superintending engineer of Nagpur Rural Circle and executive engineer of Mouda division participated in the operation.