AKALI LEADER FACES FINE OF RS 1.5 LAKH FOR POWER THEFT
Ludhiana August 26:
Senior Akali leader and former member of the Punjab Public Service Commission, Amarjit Singh Chawla, has been found guilty of power theft by the Punjab State Electricity Board.
Even as the board remains tightlipped about the issue, Chawla admits that the fine may run into around Rs 1.48 lakh.In a surprise check on August 11, PSEB officials discovered a kundi connection at the leader’s residence at Model Town Extension.
According to a PSEB report, a copy of which is in possession of Newsline, Chawla has a sanctioned load of 3.77 kilowatt for his residence while the actual use was found to be 14.88 kilowatt. The house has five two-tonne ACs, one 1.5-tonne AC, one .75-tonne AC, a motor for pumping water and nearly 108 lights.
The report states: “The 4C cable wire attached to the meter is underground. But before this wire enters the meter, it has been diverted to a room where a 32 ampere changeover has been is inserted to bypass the meter.”
In his defence, Chawla said: “I have just returned from the US. I am ready to pay the fine and also get the load enhanced as per the PSEB rules.” The electricity meter at Chawla’s residence is registered in the name of his wife, Opinder Kaur.
Ludhiana August 26:
Senior Akali leader and former member of the Punjab Public Service Commission, Amarjit Singh Chawla, has been found guilty of power theft by the Punjab State Electricity Board.
Even as the board remains tightlipped about the issue, Chawla admits that the fine may run into around Rs 1.48 lakh.In a surprise check on August 11, PSEB officials discovered a kundi connection at the leader’s residence at Model Town Extension.
According to a PSEB report, a copy of which is in possession of Newsline, Chawla has a sanctioned load of 3.77 kilowatt for his residence while the actual use was found to be 14.88 kilowatt. The house has five two-tonne ACs, one 1.5-tonne AC, one .75-tonne AC, a motor for pumping water and nearly 108 lights.
The report states: “The 4C cable wire attached to the meter is underground. But before this wire enters the meter, it has been diverted to a room where a 32 ampere changeover has been is inserted to bypass the meter.”
In his defence, Chawla said: “I have just returned from the US. I am ready to pay the fine and also get the load enhanced as per the PSEB rules.” The electricity meter at Chawla’s residence is registered in the name of his wife, Opinder Kaur.
