The Electricity Department has slapped Sambhal’s Lok Sabha MP Zia Ur Rehman, representing the Samajwadi Party (SP), with a hefty fine of Rs.1.91 crore for alleged power theft. Additionally, it has disconnected his electricity supply after discovering illegal electricity usage at his residence in the Deepa Sarai area.
The police filed a case against Rehman on Thursday under Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003, for stealing electricity, leading to the fine and disconnection. The incident also led to a separate charge against his father, Mamlukur Rehman Barq, who allegedly threatened officials during the inspection.
Sambhal’s Superintending Engineer, Vinod Kumar, said the Electricity Department conducted an inspection drive at the MP’s residence, where they found evidence of power theft. The inspection revealed that someone had tampered with the electricity meters to bypass the correct recording of consumption. The authorities also discovered that despite two active electricity connections, the meters showed zero usage over the past six months.
The police registered the case after the inspection, which took place under heavy security. Reports say that Mamlukur, Rehman’s father, obstructed the inspection by verbally abusing engineers and making threatening remarks, which the engineers recorded on video. The police filed a case against Barq and two others for obstructing government work and issuing threats.
This development follows a violent clash on November 24, where four locals died during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. Zia Ur Rehman was among those booked in connection with that incident.
The Electricity Department’s inspection team found that a 16.48 kilowatt load was running at the MP’s residence, which significantly exceeded the registered two kilowatt connections. Lab tests confirmed that the authorities had tampered with the meters, further supporting the allegations of power theft. The police are now investigating the incident further.
, with a hefty fine of Rs. 1.91 crore for alleged power theft. Additionally, it has disconnected his electricity supply after discovering illegal electricity usage at his residence in the Deepa Sarai area.){kind=link}