Nagpur: Power theft in Vidarbha has been exposed on a massive scale, with flying squads of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) unearthing electricity theft and serious irregularities amounting to nearly Rs 36 crore in just nine months, laying bare the extent of blatant lawlessness and misuse of public resources across the region.
During an aggressive anti-power theft अभियान conducted between April and December 2025, MSEDCL’s security and enforcement wing carried out raids across the Nagpur division, covering all 11 districts of Vidarbha. Inspections at 7,771 electricity connections, spanning domestic, commercial and industrial categories, revealed rampant, organised theft at 2,214 locations, where power was being siphoned off directly. Action was initiated under the stringent provisions of the amended Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003, which treats power theft as a criminal offence.
Gold Rate
13 Jan 2026
The crackdown also exposed large-scale unauthorised use of electricity and overdrawal beyond sanctioned loads, reflecting a systematic disregard for rules. Under Section 126 of the Electricity Act, MSEDCL detected irregularities in 890 cases, leading to assessments worth Rs 10.52 crore. In total, power theft and allied violations during the nine-month period were assessed at Rs 35.95 crore, of which Rs 31.03 crore has already been forcibly recovered from defaulters.
Refusing to treat power theft as a mere billing lapse, MSEDCL initiated criminal prosecution against habitual offenders. As many as 308 cases have been registered at police stations across the Nagpur region, sending a clear message that electricity theft is not a victimless offence, but a punishable crime that can lead to imprisonment.
Officials pointed out that such theft directly inflates distribution losses and ultimately punishes honest, law-abiding consumers through higher tariffs and unreliable supply. In the Nagpur region, the drive is being executed by a robust enforcement machinery comprising 12 circle-level special flying squads, three divisional flying squads, and dedicated security and enforcement units in Nagpur and Akola circles. Armed with modern detection equipment, these teams track abnormal consumption patterns and conduct targeted raids.
Terming power theft a social offence, MSEDCL appealed to citizens to act as partners in the crackdown and report illegal connections and tampering. The utility assured complete confidentiality to informers and promised suitable rewards for actionable information.
The intensified drive is being carried out under the guidance of MSEDCL CMD Lokesh Chandra, Executive Director (Security & Enforcement) Aparna Gite, and Nagpur Regional Deputy Director Sunil Thapekar. MSEDCL has warned that the ongoing action is only the beginning and that the noose will tighten further in the coming months, urging consumers to draw electricity strictly through authorised connections or face strict legal consequences.
