Former Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy booked for stealing electricity on Diwali; 'Thief' poster appears near home
Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy following allegations from the Congress party. They claim that Kumaraswamy illegally used electricity to illuminate his JP Nagar residence in Bangalore for Deepavali.
The Vigilance Wing of BESCOM has filed a case under section 135 of the Indian Electricity Act (Theft of electricity), a TOI report stated.
In a video posted on social media, the Congress criticized Kumaraswamy, accusing him of using an illegal power connection directly from an electricity pole to light up his residence with decorative lights. Kumaraswamy, on the other hand, blamed a private decorator for the unauthorized connection.
He stated that he promptly rectified the situation by connecting to the house's meter board. Additionally, Kumaraswamy acknowledged his mistake and offered to pay any fines imposed by BESCOM officials after inspection.
He dismissed the Congress' allegations as an exaggeration of a «petty issue.»
Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has assured that BESCOM will take appropriate action in this matter. The Congress, continuing to mock Kumaraswamy, suggested that he should have availed the government's 'Gruha Jyoti' scheme, which provides 200 units of free electricity per month for residential connections.
They questioned why Kumaraswamy complained about power shortages in Karnataka while his own residence was shining brightly with decorative lights. The Congress accused him of stealing electricity meant for farmers and questioned the need to celebrate Diwali during a drought.
Posters labeling former Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy as a 'current thief' appeared on walls near his house, a day after the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company registered a case of power theft against
