In a significant verdict that brings closure to a protracted legal nightmare, a 73-year-old retired clerk from Agra has been acquitted in an electricity theft case where he was wrongly implicated due to a police error. The case, which dragged on for over 13 years, saw the innocent man fighting to clear his name after being mistakenly named as an accused.
A Case of Mistaken Identity and a 13-Year Ordeal
The origins of this unfortunate saga date back to November 22, 2012. On that day, the electricity connections of several residents in Sahi village, under the Achhnera area of Agra, were disconnected due to non-payment of bills. A week later, on November 29, 2012, a junior engineer from the electricity department initiated a recovery campaign and conducted inspections in the village.
During this drive, officials discovered five individuals—Vijay Singh, Nanne Khan, Ram Murty, Yogesh Kumar, and Tuhi Ram, son of Monaram—illegally tapping electricity using unauthorized hook lines, commonly known as 'katia,' connected to the village's main power line. Following this, a case was registered at the Achhnera police station under Section 138(B) of the Electricity Act.
However, a critical mistake occurred when police filed the chargesheet. Instead of naming Tuhi Ram, son of Monaram (the actual suspect), they erroneously listed Tuhiram, son of Mohan Singh—a retired revenue department clerk who had no involvement in the crime. The innocent Tuhiram Singh remained unaware of the case until 2014, when court notices began arriving at his home.
A Relentless Fight for Justice
Shocked by the accusations, Tuhiram Singh, then a contractual government worker, immediately approached the electricity department, police, and administrative offices to prove his innocence. His pleas, however, fell on deaf ears for years. Represented by his counsel, advocate Naresh Sharma, Singh was forced to embark on a grueling legal journey.
Finally, Additional District and Sessions Judge Gyanendra Rao acquitted Tuhiram Singh. The court ruled that he was "wrongly implicated because he shared his name with the real offender." The judge further stated that the electricity department is now free to initiate action against the actual accused. The trial against the remaining four individuals is ongoing in a separate court.
Acquittal Brings Relief, But Scars Remain
While the acquittal has legally cleared his name, the relief for the 73-year-old is bittersweet, overshadowed by years of suffering and financial drain. "I fought this case for 13 years," Singh expressed with bitterness. "I was not even a full-time government employee but a contractual worker. I had already got my electricity disconnected in 2007, and a new connection was issued in my son's name. There was no pending bill in my name."
He detailed the profound personal cost: "The case brought me disgrace in the village in my old age and forced me to spend lakhs of rupees on legal expenses over the years. I have got justice now, but who will return my lost years, my reputation, and the money I spent?" Singh, who has no pension and whose two sons are in the low-income group, has demanded compensation from the government and action against the investigating officials.
Advocate Naresh Sharma confirmed that while the acquittal removes the stigma of theft and allows proceedings against the real culprits, the legal battle is not over. "We will now move the high court to seek compensation for the trauma Tuhiram suffered over the years and the financial loss he faced," Sharma stated, highlighting the next phase in their quest for complete redressal.
