Stone quarry owner gets 2-yr RI for power theft

A stone quarry owner has been awarded 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 his order issued last week.

Appearing to the prosecution, the Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) officials found in September 2014 that the power meter installed at Patel's stone quarry in Bhiwandi 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.