Chandigarh: The vigilance wing of Haryana Power Utilities has achieved a breakthrough by apprehending a highly sophisticated gang of white collar criminals involved in tempering of electronic meters.
Giving details, Dr Rajvant Pal Singh, DGP-cum-Director/ Vigilance said here today that on the basis of reliable intelligence worked out with extensive technical analysis, a special operations team was formed.
The team led by Rajeev Kumar, DSP vigilance Gurgaon and closely monitored by Dr R P Singh himself detained the gang.
The gang was headed by Govind of Sector-40 Gurgaon.
The other members of gang included Udaybhan of Baliya district (UP), at present resident of Dabua Colony, Faridabad and Manjeet Singh also from Gurgaon.
The king pin Govind had earlier floated a company in the name of M/s Hariom Carriers Limited engaged by Nigam for reading of meters from 2002 to 2007.
However, disengaged by the Nigam, he resorted to tempering of meters in the Non-Domestic Segment and Domestic Segment categories by charging amount ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 35,000 initially followed by monthly Rs 5000 to 10,000 per consumer depending on the quantum and mode to be used for theft of electricity/pilferage of energy.
Singh further said that the vigilance Division of HVPNL has been collecting, collating and processing information for the last one month and after thorough analysis of the same, finalised a full proof strategy and arrested gang members Govind on November 3, Udaybhan on November 5 and Manjeet on November 16.
After arresting the accused and taking them on police remand, premises of the consumers were raided as per the information provided by the accused during interrogation.
The special operation team in groups checked the premises and seized the the meters.
The raids were conducted in the posh area of DLF Phase-I, II, III, Sushant Lok Sector-14, 17 and other posh areas as well as old Gurgaon.
It is a matter of concern that well educated persons living in posh colonies had been availing their services for tempering of meters for the purpose of theft of electricity, Sing rued.