Electricity Theft Worth Rs 105 Crore In Mumbai, 7867 Thieves Arrested By BEST

Mumbai, 15th November 2022: “Don’t use electricity by stealing, use electricity only by installing a legal meter” is being repeatedly appealed by the BEST initiative. But despite this, it has been observed that there is a large amount of electricity theft in Mumbai. In the last 11 years, the vigilance team of the electricity supply department of BEST has taken action against electricity thieves and exposed cases of electricity theft worth Rs 105,36,54,000. 7,867 people have been arrested in this case.

BEST’s power supply division was profitable compared to its transport division. Currently, this department has started losing due to various reasons. The electricity supply department is getting hit hard by electricity theft. Meter tampering has been detected by small and large industries and domestic electricity users. Even in unauthorized slums, electricity is being used by making illegal connections. In various areas of Mumbai, including Mohammad Ali Road, Sarang Street, Kolsa Street, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Road, and Naoroji Hill Road, unauthorized hawkers have set up their bases on footpaths, and most of these hawkers are using electricity illegally. Decreasing the speed of the meter, electricity theft by taking direct power supply without meter. Action is taken against these electricity thieves by the vigilance team of the electricity supply department of BEST.

From 2012-13 till now, BEST has been successful in solving power theft cases worth Rs.105 crore. Officials of the BEST initiative informed that 17,235 cases have been filed in this regard. This officer said that 1,339 cases have been registered and 7,867 accused have been arrested. Strict penal action is taken against power thieves. Instead of stealing electricity, the BEST initiative is repeatedly appealing to use it properly. Along with this, information about the discounts given to traders and domestic electricity users is also being given. As a result, the theft of electricity has reduced to some extent, the official said.

Due to the types of electricity theft, the revenue of the BEST initiative is also lost. This sunk revenue is recovered from electricity thieves in the form of fines. In the last 11 years, electricity worth Rs 105 crore has been stolen, and out of this, Rs 82,27,89,000 has been recovered.

In the year 2012-13, 1,924 cases of electricity theft were registered. 589 accused have been arrested in this case. This year, electricity worth Rs 11,86,10,000 has been stolen, and Rs 6,85,10,000 has been recovered. In 2021-22, 632 accused have been arrested in one thousand 276 cases of electricity theft, and a total of eight crores of electricity has been stolen in these cases. Out of this Rs 5,34,99,000 has been recovered. From April 2022 to September 23, 434 persons have been arrested in 925 cases. This year, electricity worth Rs 5,21,24,000 has been stolen, and Rs 3,43,57,000 has been recovered.