Ever heard of a Member of Parliament caught stealing electricity? While tales of ordinary citizens hooking wires for illegal power are common, Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal MP, Ziaur Rahman Barq from the Samajwadi Party, now faces a hefty fine of ₹1.91 crore for alleged power theft. Adding to the drama, his home’s electricity supply has been cut off.
Following confirmed allegations of power theft, authorities not only filed an FIR but also took swift action. However, the MP’s father reportedly didn’t take this lightly and allegedly threatened the electricity department officials, warning them of retaliation once the government changes.
Junior Engineer (JE) Santosh Tripathi, responsible for leading the crackdown, became a target of threats, prompting an additional FIR against the MP’s father at Nakhasa police station for obstructing government work.
It all began when electricity department officials decided to inspect the MP's residence at Dipasarai, suspecting foul play. To their astonishment, they discovered that a 2-kilowatt connection was being bypassed to draw a massive 16,480 kilowatts of power illegally. This blatant theft led to an FIR under Section 135 of the Electricity Act 2003, making headlines.
Power theft isn’t new in Uttar Pradesh, but this case highlights the audacity of even lawmakers. If thorough investigations were conducted, the list of offenders would likely grow exponentially. After all, in UP, theft seems to have no boundaries—whether it’s electricity or even water taps, no item is off-limits!
