Stone quarry owner gets rigorous imprisonment for power theft

A court in Thane has awarded Rigorous Imprisonment to a quarry owner for meter tampering and power theft. Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) officials found the tampering and imposed a fine which he failed to pay.

Thane: A stone quarry owner has beenawarded two years' rigorous imprisonment (RI) by a court in Thane district of Maharashtra for power theft.

District Judge P P Jadhav also imposed a fine of Rs 29.65 lakh on the accused, Kunal Kishorebhai Patel, in hisorder issued last week.

Appearing to the prosecution, the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) officials found in September 2014that the power meter installed at Patel's stone quarry inBhiwandi town was tampered as it was not showing the reading.

He was fined Rs 9.88 lakh for power theft for a period of seven months, but he failed to pay the amount.

The judge while pronouncing the punishment said the evidence produced before the court clearly established meter tampering and power theft.