FIR against SP's Sambhal MP Ziaur Rehman Barq for power theft

Samajwadi Party MP from Sambhal, Ziaur Rehman Barq, was charged by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Thursday (December 19) for allegedly stealing electricity at his residence in the Deepa Sarai neighborhood.

The parliamentarian was booked under Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003, (theft of power or unauthorised use of electricity).

Charged under Section 135

Santosh Tripathi, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Sambhal, revealed that a Member of Parliament (MP) has been charged with power theft under Section 135 of the Indian Electricity Act, 1948. According to Tripathi, the MP resides in a three-story house in the Deepa Sarai locality.

During an inspection of the property, it was found to have only two electricity meters with a capacity of 2 kilowatts each, which is significantly less than the 8 to 10 kilowatts typically needed for a house of that size. Consequently, the electricity department removed both meters and issued a notice to the MP.

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Inspection

'On Thursday at 7 a.m., a team from the local electricity department, accompanied by a huge police presence, conducted a one-hour inspection at the MP’s residence. The team identified multiple irregularities in the power supply.

“The electricity meter registered in the MP’s name has shown a zero reading for the past six months, starting from July. Even in earlier months, the readings never exceeded 100 units. Given the presence of fans, air conditioners, and other appliances in the house, a zero reading is implausible,” said Tripathi.

Vandana Mishra, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Sambhal, insisted that the raid was part of a broader initiative to address illegal power connections. “This operation was impartial, with no bias involved,” she asserted.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Shrish Chandra confirmed that the electricity department had sought police assistance before conducting the raid, and the police ensured the team’s safety during the operation.

Qasim Jamal, the MP’s lawyer, countered the allegations, saying the house has two electricity meters, each with a 4-kilowatt capacity. He also mentioned that the property is equipped with a 5-kilowatt generator and a 10-kilowatt solar panel, which will be presented as evidence in court.

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Electricity theft

"On checking the meter of the consumer received from the electrical testing laboratory, it is clear that electricity theft has been done by bypassing the meter and using electricity illegally," stated the FIR lodged on a complaint by a power department official.

Barq is among those booked by the police in connection with the November 24 violence that led to the death of four locals in a clash with security personnel during a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in the city's Kot Garvi area.

He has filed a writ petition in the Allahabad High Court, seeking a stay on his arrest and has also sought the quashing of the FIR registered against him. The MP has been accused of instigating people on November 24 and police alleged that his provocative speech was the reason behind the violence during the survey.

In the writ petition, the MP has pleaded innocence, saying he was wrongly implicated in the matter. According to his counsel, he was not present at the place of the incident, yet he was named as accused in the FIR.

(With agency inputs)