Barpeta, Nov 2: After surging electricity bills burnt a hole on the pockets of common man, a section of the people targeted the Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL) by tampering with the digital meters in Barpeta.
As per sources, due to tampering of the digital meters, the electricity bill of certain individuals and industries was far lesser than the amount of electricity consumed.
Miscreants used special tactics to reduce the electricity bill through meter tampering method, which resulted in the loss of revenue by the APDCL.
The APDCL authorities along with the help of Barpeta Police launched an investigation. It later came to light that several households and industries were indulging in meter tampering methods following which a raid was carried out. The authorities identified a racket which has been actively conducting such illegal activities.
''In a joint operation conducted by APDCL and Barpeta police, a scam related to the digital metering system got unfold. On the basis of an FIR filed by APDCL, the Barpeta Police seized equipment and arrested two people red-handed. They will be produced before the court,'' said a police official while speaking to media.
The accused have been identified as Mirasan Ali and Makram Ali.
Meanwhile, police investigations are on to check which industries and households in Barpeta had been embezzling electricity bills through meter tampering method.
The police investigation is likely to reveal all the details of Barpeta as well as other districts of the State where the electricity meters were tampered in similar ways, said sources.