THE Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL), having last week Wednesday launched its “Name and Shame” campaign which is aimed at reducing electricity theft, had Lusignan ice factory owner Rajendra Mohan apprehended and detained at the Vigilance Police Station allegedly for stealing electricity.
The businessman told this publication yesterday that he was released on $20,000 bail on the same day that he was arrested, and he was asked to return to the Vigilance Police Station on Monday.
He would likely be charged for electricity theft.
Mohan added that the power to his home and business is yet to be restored, since GPL is claiming he is in debt of $6M although he was paying for the service.
A team from GPL, accompanied by the media, a representative from the Government Electrical Inspectorate (GEI) and the police, on September 5 swooped down on Mohan’s Courbane Park, Annandale, East Coast Demerara business, which had been under surveillance for electricity theft for some time.
GPL and the team arrived at the man’s residence at about 10:20hrs and an employee of the utility company mounted the utility pole and removed the main connection wires which were displayed.
It was revealed that the connection had been tampered by a mechanism implemented to cheat GPL of millions of dollars in electricity charges due.
Confronted with the evidence in the presence of the police, Mohan claimed he was unaware of any tampering, and told the media that he was being unnecessarily hassled by GPL, even as he displayed paid light bills.
Ice Factory owner Rajendra Mohan of Lot 129 Courbane Park, Annandale, East Coast Demerara told the media that he has been constantly harassed by GPL officials, who have been taking reports from persons.
Mohan explained that GPL officials had visited him previously, saying they had come for an inspection, and had turned off his electricity service, which he said was paid for, and he has been paying his bills regularly. He owes GPL for $3.6M and is in a contract with the power company.
He, however, showed media personnel that he had paid on his estimated electricity bills, which he had on his person as the GPL team arrived outside his residence, when he began enquiring about their presence.
Mohan told the team, especially the media persons, that he has been operating his business for the past 15 years, and isn’t aware of any illegal connection. That was shortly before he was taken into police custody.
GPL Loss Reduction Manager Loaknauth Singh said they had brought the GEI to have a first-hand look at the happenings for verification process, since GPL has a zero-tolerance policy on electricity theft, which is cheating the company of millions of dollars.