FIR against Sambhal Lok Sabha MP for electricity theft

Police has filed a case against Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia ur Rehman Barak on charges of electricity theft. file Photo Credit: ANI

Sambhal Parliamentary Constituency MP Zia-ur Rehman Barak was booked by the police on Thursday for theft of electricity and unauthorized consumption of electricity at his house in Deepa Sarai area of ​​Uttar Pradesh district.

“A case of electricity theft has been registered against the local MP Zia-ur Rehman Barak on the application of the officials of the electricity department on Thursday morning. A complaint was registered after the electricity department inspected his (Mr Barak’s) house,” Superintendent of Police in charge KK Bishnoi said. During the inspection, a large number of police were mobilized along with officials of the electricity department.

Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Santosh Tripathi and Assistant Engineer (Meter) Ashish Kataria have alleged that 16.48 KW electricity is being consumed illegally by bypassing the 2 KW connection of the local MP. Officials of the Electricity Department filed charges under Section 135 of the Indian Electricity (Amendment) Act, 2003.

The inspection is a part of the ongoing drive against power theft in Sambhal in which the electricity department has been conducting inspections in Muslim-majority areas since December 13. The department has registered more than 200 cases of electricity theft in this campaign.

The western UP town of Sambhal remained on edge for days last month after five Muslim youths were killed as locals clashed with state police over a survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. Although the police denied the accusation of firing on the protestors, the public accused the police of firing. After the clash, the administration intensified the encroachment and electricity campaign.