The executive officer of the Nabha municipal council, Gurcharan Singh, has been issued a penalty notice of approximately Rs 3 lakh by the local electricity department. The penalty is for the alleged theft of electricity through an illegal makeshift connection, or 'kundi', at his official residence.
Illegal Hook-Up from Civic Water Motor
Officials revealed that the power supply to the EO's residence had been disconnected for a significant period. A team led by the sub-divisional officer discovered that a temporary hook-up had been drawn from a motor installed for the town's water-supply system. This motor connection benefits from subsidised rates intended strictly for civic purposes.
The department calculated the penalty based on one year's estimated usage, finding that power from this subsidised connection was allegedly being used to run domestic appliances. These included air conditioners, CCTV cameras, lights, and other household plugs.
Prikshat Bhanot, the executive engineer of the Nabha electricity board, confirmed the action. He stated that a formal notice was issued after the unauthorised connection was detected during an inspection. "The team caught the kundi on the spot and immediately disconnected the supply by cutting the wires," Bhanot said.
Link to Trolley Theft Investigation and Political Fallout
The discovery of the illegal power connection occurred on the same day a joint police team excavated parts of the EO's residential compound. Acting on complaints from farmers, the team used a JCB machine and recovered tyres, rims, hooks, and other tractor-trolley spare parts. Farmers had reported these items missing from the Shambhu and Khanauri protest sites nearly eight months ago.
Leaders of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Azad) alleged the material was deliberately buried to destroy evidence. This search was prompted by sustained protests from farm unions, following earlier recoveries from a warehouse linked to the husband of the Nabha municipal council president, Sujata Chawla.
An FIR was previously registered against Pankaj Pappu for allegedly stealing and selling tractor-trailers and trolley parts from the Shambhu Morcha. While Pappu refuted the claims and secured anticipatory bail, the case has already triggered a no-confidence motion against council president Sujata Chawla, who later went on leave.
Who Bears the Rs 3 Lakh Liability?
The power theft notice has ignited a fresh dispute within the Nabha municipal council regarding who should pay the hefty penalty. Several councillors have strongly opposed using municipal funds to cover a fine resulting from alleged illegal activity at the EO's residence.
Councillor Gursevak Singh asserted that the amount must be paid personally by the EO or recovered from the individual who occupied the premises. "The people of Nabha will not be made to pay for someone's misuse of electricity," he declared.
When approached for comment, EO Gurcharan Singh declined to provide details. He stated he would respond only after examining the official records and clarifying the circumstances under which the residence and its electricity connections were being used.
Singh had earlier claimed that although the house was allotted in his name, he was not residing there. He informed higher authorities that the premises were being used as an unofficial office by an Aam Aadmi Party leader. Farmer unions have questioned why the administration allowed such use to continue for months.
The Rs 3 lakh penalty notice is expected to intensify tensions between councillors, officials, and farmer unions. Opposition parties are likely to frame the issue as another glaring example of the misuse of public resources, further eroding trust in Nabha's civic administration amidst the ongoing trolley theft controversy.
