26-05-2025
Three discom employees in Dhar booked on bribery charges
Indore: Three employees of Madhya Pradesh Paschim Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company Limited (MPPKVVCL) were booked for allegedly demanding bribe from a farmer to reduce electricity theft fine on Monday.
The complainant, Anil Patidar, 44, resident of Devgarh village under Manawar tehsil in Dhar district, reported that on May 18, 2025, there was a power outage at his home due to a fault. Unable to reach the MPPKVVCL office in Singhana by phone, he connected his home's electricity through a separate cable. The next day, junior engineer Anil Vaskel and his team from MPPKVVCL Singhana issued a challan to him for electricity theft amounting to Rs 60,000.
Patidar then met with meter reader Vasudev on May 21 to discuss reducing the fine. According to the complaint, Vasudev demanded a bribe of Rs 40,000 to speak with the junior engineer and save him from challan proceedings. Following this demand, Patidar lodged a complaint with Rajesh Sahay, SP Lokayukta Office, Indore. After verifying the complaint, a trap team was formed on Monday.
During the operation, Ganesh Iske, 29, an outsourced computer operator at MPPKVVCL Singhana, was allegedly caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000 from the complainant, acting on the instructions of junior engineer Anil Vaskel.
The accused, identified as Vaskel, Iske and Vasudev, were booked under Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section BNS 61 (2), the senior officials said.
