Sambhal MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq from the Samajwadi Party has been charged with alleged electricity theft by the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Department. The complaint, filed through an FIR, follows an inspection of Barq’s residence, where officials discovered discrepancies between his sanctioned electricity connection and actual power usage.
The incident occurred on the morning of December 19 when a team from the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Department visited Barq’s residence to inspect the electrical load. The department found that Barq’s household had a 2-kilowatt (kW) connection, but the actual load was 16.5 kW, prompting the department to disconnect the power supply.
The electricity bill for Barq’s residence has reportedly been zero for the past six months, raising suspicions regarding the legitimacy of the power consumption. New smart meters, installed just two days prior, revealed that the household’s actual power load was 5.5 kW. Barq’s residence is also equipped with two 2 kW electricity meters, a 10 kW solar panel, and a 5 kW generator, which theoretically allow the house to handle up to 19 kW of power.
Despite these claims, the state electricity department has reported that the solar panels were non-operational at the time of the inspection, further complicating the situation. Additionally, Barq’s residence was found to be equipped with several high-powered appliances, including more than 50 LED bulbs, three split air conditioners, two refrigerators, a deep freezer, a geyser, a microwave, and a coffee maker. These appliances, according to department officials, collectively added up to a total power load of 16.5 kW.
Barq’s legal representative, Advocate Qasim Jamal, defended the MP, stating that the house was paying the minimum charges and that the solar panels were fully installed. Jamal further clarified that there were only four people in Barq’s household and the other family members did not reside there.
In a development related to the investigation, it has been reported that the officials who conducted the inspection, Vivek Gangal and Ajay Sharma, were allegedly threatened by Barq’s father, Mamluk ur Rehman. According to the officials, the MP’s father warned them that they would face consequences when his government comes to power.
The case is currently under investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Electricity Department, and the authorities are examining the allegations of electricity theft in more detail. This incident adds to the controversy surrounding the MP, who has previously been involved in other high-profile issues.
The Samajwadi Party has not yet issued a formal statement regarding the allegations against their party member.
Sources By Agencies