Major LESCO operation uncovers 238 cases of electricity theft

WEB DESK: In a major crackdown, the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) successfully identified 238 cases of electricity theft across its operational areas, spanning five districts, which include Lahore, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, and Okara.

This development marks the 45th day of the extensive anti-power theft crackdown.

A spokesperson for LESCO revealed on Sunday that the company promptly filed FIR applications against 237 individuals involved in these cases.

Out of these, 167 FIRs have been officially registered at the respective police stations, leading to the arrest of 30 suspects.

Remarkably, the crackdown extended beyond residential consumers, as several large commercial entities were found guilty of electricity theft.

Swift action was taken against these offenders, including disconnection and levying charges through detection units.

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Among the seized connections, eight were commercial, one was agricultural, and two were industrial, with the majority, 229, being domestic connections.

LESCO promptly disconnected these illicit connections and charged them for a total of 331,524 units, amounting to a detection bill of Rs14.326 million.

Providing specific examples, the spokesperson highlighted instances of successful enforcement. In the Bilal Park Daroghanwala area of Lahore, LESCO imposed a detection bill of Rs0.352 million against 9,041 pilfered units.

Similarly, in Azam Garden, a fine in the form of a detection bill amounting to Rs0.3 million was levied against 8,425 units stolen by a customer.

Additionally, a power thief on Abbott Road was charged Rs0.285 million for pilfering 4,387 units.

This proactive approach by LESCO underscores its commitment to curbing electricity theft and ensuring a fair and lawful distribution of resources among consumers.

Further investigations are underway to identify and penalise any remaining culprits involved in such illegal activities.