BEST ki bijlee, D-gang ki chandi

Police, power company watch while gang small fry sell stolen electricity for a neat Rs 4 lakh a month

Police, power company watch while gang small fry sell stolen electricity for u00a0a neat Rs 4 lakh a month

Goons, allegedly affiliated to the Dawood gang, have been stealing electricity worth Rs 4 lakh a month stolen from the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) power lines and selling it to the over 800 stalls that sell smuggled goods near Crawford Market.

What's worse is they have been doing this for the last four years.

"We have repeatedly complained to the police as well as the BEST vigilance committee. Law-abiding citizens living in the neighbourhood are paying inflated bills for electricity stolen by the goons.

I was once asked to pay a bill of Rs 5,000 for electricity I had not consumed," said Mohammed Dastagir Saeed (46), a resident of BMC Chawl Number 1.

Chori Chori: Stalls that sell smuggled goods near Crawford Market pay Rs 5,000 as deposit and Rs 500 a month each to Dawood's men.

An internal report filed by BEST, a copy of which is with MiD DAY, indicates that vigilance inspectors from the company discovered that electricity is being stolen and supplied to stalls on footpaths of Kapda Galli and Musafirkhana on Saboo Siddique road near Crawford Market. Most of the stalls sell smuggled items.

Kare koi....

"Electicity is stolen from BMC building number 1 and 5, and from the buildings adjoining Chikoo Market," said Ismail Khan, a small business owner, who lives in the neighbourhood.

The gangsters reportedly charge Rs 5,000 as deposit and a fixed charge of Rs 500 a month for three electricity points per stall. This adds up to a monthly income of Rs 4 lakh for the power thieves.

While BEST records identify men named Mohammed Yakub, Farook Khan and Noorabhai from a lane adjoining Musafirkhana as the power thieves, the police are yet to press charges against them oru00a0 make arrests.

In another internal letter, the BEST divisional engineer (vigilance) has requested a lawyer to lodge a complaint with the police about the power theft, and press for recovery of revenues.
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BEST spokesperson A Tamboli claimed he was not aware of the theft. "I know nothing about this case. I can't say anything now," said Tamboli.

Senior Inspector Sanjeev Kokil of the MRA Marg police station promised to act if the BEST filed a complaint.

"We will then promptly provide them with all necessary assistance," said Kokil. The Crawford Market neighbourhood is considered a Dawood stronghold.

Rs 3.93 lakh
Income of power thieves in a month

Rs 5,000
Deposit charged by power u00a0thieves per stall

Rs 500
Fixed monthly amount chargedu00a0 by power thieves in a month foru00a0 a maximum three electricity u00a0points per stallu00a0