Bains booked for restoring power connections in Jalandhar

The police here have booked Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief and Ludhiana MLA Simarjeet Singh Bains in two cases for illegally restoring the electricity connections of families at various locations on March 11.

Power connections of these households had been severed by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) for non-payments of bills.

Division 8 and Rama Mandi police said that the MLA, led by his supporters, restarted the power connections of some houses in Santokhpura Mohalla, Lamba Pind Chowk locality and some others areas of the city without clearing the outstanding bills or taking permission from PSPCL officials.

The FIR stated that Bains not only put himself in danger but risked the lives of others too. So, he was booked under sections 138-b and 150 of the Electricity Act and Section 336 of the IPC, police said.

PSPCL deputy chief engineer (operations) Harjinder Singh Bansal said the case has been recommended in view of the MLA’s careless attitude. “We have disconnected several connections this week and served notices to defaulters for clearing dues ranging between ₹15, 000 and ₹50, 000,” he said.

Bains, however, claimed that he had launched a campaign to restore electricity in households whose connections had been snapped over pending dues. The MLA alleged that faulty power purchase agreements and mismanagement had led to high electricity tariff in the state. He demanded the cancellation of PPAs and restoration of power connections.