Pune: The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has detected electricity theft by 19 consumers in areas under its Bhosari and Akurdi offices.The utility has filed police complaints in nine cases and imposed fines totalling Rs 12.4 lakh on the consumers. It is in the process of taking similar action in the remaining 10 cases.According to MSEDCL, the consumers broke the seals of smart meters and bypassed the current transformer (CT) clamps, which measure the electrical current flowing through wires.In one case, MSEDCL found that a remote device had been installed at a restaurant in Charoli to slow down the smart meter.MSEDCL officials tasked with detecting meter tampering and electricity theft found that smart meters at eight residential premises in Bhosari had been suspiciously damaged. After opening the meters, they found that the consumers had short-circuited the circuit boards that measure and transmit electricity consumption in real time and had disconnected the CT clamps.The homeowners had consumed more than 15,000 units of electricity illegally. MSEDCL imposed fines ranging from Rs 68,000 to Rs 2.7 lakh on the nine consumers, including the cost of the stolen electricity and penalties. The inspections were conducted between Aug 25 and 27.“Tampering with meters, breaking seals or attempting to bypass the CT to steal electricity is a serious offence. MSEDCL has adopted a strict stance against such activities, initiating criminal proceedings alongside imposing financial penalties under various sections of the Electricity Act, 2003,” said Vikas Puri, MSEDCL spokesperson.MSEDCL, between April and Aug, detected 1,822 cases of electricity theft in the Pune zone, involving the illegal consumption of 25.9 lakh units. It imposed penalties totalling Rs 6.2 crore.
