MSEDCL Crackdown: ₹14.5 Crore Power Theft Detected in Marathwada; Over 1,700 Consumers Penalized

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Aurangabad): In a major strike against illegal electricity consumption, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), also known as Mahavitaran, has unearthed a massive power theft racket across the Marathwada region. According to official data released on Monday, the state utility has detected electricity theft and irregularities worth a staggering ₹14.5 crore in a special nine-month drive.

The crackdown, which spanned from April to December 2025, targeted high-loss areas and suspicious consumer connections, sending a strong message that power pilferage will not be tolerated.

The Numbers: A Massive Clean-Up Operation

The drive was spearheaded by MSEDCL’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar regional office.

• Inspections: Flying squads and vigilance teams inspected a total of 3,799 electricity meters across the region during the drive.

• Detections: Out of these, irregularities and direct theft were confirmed in 1,727 cases—nearly a 45% strike rate, indicating precise intelligence-based raids.

• Units Stolen: Authorities estimated that over 1.6 crore (16,091,223) units of electricity were pilfered illegitimately.

Aditya Jivane, the Joint Managing Director of MSEDCL (Marathwada), stated, "A massive campaign against electricity theft was conducted over nine months. The rigorous drives against electricity thieves in Marathwada have sent a strong message among consumers."

Recovery and Legal Action

The utility has moved swiftly to recover the losses.

• Penalties Levied: A total penalty of ₹14.5 crore was levied on the errant consumers.

• Recovery Status: As of February 2026, MSEDCL has successfully recovered ₹8.8 crore from the defaulters.

• Criminal Action: While many consumers opted to pay the fines and compounding charges to settle the matter, FIRs have been registered against 55 individuals who failed to pay or were involved in severe cases of theft.

Modus Operandi: Hooks and Tampered Meters

Officials revealed that power thieves were using both traditional and modern methods to bypass billing.

1. Direct Hooking: In rural and semi-urban pockets, the use of "metal hooks" on overhead wires remains the most common method.

2. Meter Tampering: In urban areas, consumers were found tampering with the internal circuits of meters or using remote devices to slow down readings.

Strict Warning to Consumers

Sunil Jadhav, Deputy Chief PRO of MSEDCL Marathwada, warned that action is being taken under the stringent Electricity Act, 2003.

• Section 126: Deals with unauthorized use of electricity (e.g., using a domestic connection for commercial purposes or exceeding sanctioned load).

• Section 135: Deals with theft of electricity (tampering, bypassing meters), which is a non-bailable offense involving heavy fines and potential imprisonment.

MSEDCL officials have appealed to the public to regularize their connections, warning that such drives will continue indefinitely to curb distribution losses in the region.