MSEDCL Cracks Down on Power Theft in Nagpur; ₹5 Crore Electricity Stolen in 9 Months, Action Taken Against 2,130 Consumers

Nagpur, January 30, 2026 - Shubham Nagdeve

Nagpur: The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has intensified its crackdown on power theft across Nagpur district. From April to December 2025, a special operation conducted by the technical teams of Nagpur Circle exposed 1,963 cases of direct electricity theft, while 167 consumers were booked for unauthorised electricity use, bringing the total penalised consumers to 2,130.

MSEDCL officials said the aggressive campaign has sent shockwaves among habitual power thieves, while honest consumers have welcomed the action.

₹5 Crore Worth of Electricity Stolen; ₹6.02 Crore Penalty Issued

During the nine-month drive, MSEDCL inspected 11,962 consumer installations across the district. Investigations revealed that 1,963 consumers had stolen 23,82,631 units of electricity worth ₹4.99 crore.

As per regulations, MSEDCL levied penalties and assessment charges amounting to ₹6.02 crore, including ₹1.03 crore collected as fines and settlement payments.

However, 36 consumers who refused to settle or were found involved in serious theft have had criminal cases registered under the Electricity Act at various police stations.

High-Tech Tricks: Remote-Controlled Meters, Micro Holes & Circuit Tampering

The operation uncovered several shocking and sophisticated techniques used to steal power:

974 consumers hooked directly onto main supply lines (“Kundi” connections).
989 consumers used advanced tampering methods, including:
Installing remote-control devices inside meters to switch them off from a distance
Drilling micro holes behind the meter to add resistance
Manipulating internal circuits to slow down readings
Completely disabling the meter

Additionally, 167 consumers misused electricity for purposes other than what was originally sanctioned, leading to penalties worth ₹39.30 lakh.

Impact on Honest Consumers: Overloaded Transformers & Power Cuts

MSEDCL highlighted that power theft puts the greatest burden on law-abiding consumers. Illegal load causes excessive stress on transformers, resulting in:

Transformer burnout
Frequent short circuits
Repeated power outages

Aside from financial loss, such disruptions damage service quality and increase public dissatisfaction, making theft prevention essential, the administration said.

Operation Monitored from the Top

The anti-theft campaign is being carried out under the direct supervision of:

Lokesh Chandra, Chairman & MD
Sachin Talewar, Director (Operations)
Paresh Bhagwat, Regional Director
Dilip Dodke, Chief Engineer

Going forward, MSEDCL will tighten inspections of faulty meters, average-billed consumers, and defaulters who have not availed the Abhay Yojana.

MSEDCL Issues Public Appeal

“Using electricity only through an authorised meter is mandatory by law. Citizens must avoid unlawful shortcuts that could lead to legal penalties. Cooperation from consumers is essential to ensure uninterrupted and quality power supply,”