Steps leading into Sambhal MP's house removed in bulldozer action

Steps leading into the house of Sambhal Samajwadi Party MP Zia Ur Rehman — who is already facing charges of electricity theft — were removed on Friday using a bulldozer as part of an 'anti-encroachment drive' in the Deepa Sarai area of town, officials said.

A video of the action taken by the authorities was widely circulated on social media. Officials said the exercise was undertaken amid heavy security as part of a 15-day campaign to clear encroachment from public drains in the district.

Earlier in the day, the electricity department imposed a fine of Rs 1.91 crore on Rehman and also disconnected the electricity supply to his residence for alleged power theft, an official said on Friday.

The development follows a police case registered on Thursday against the Samajwadi Party MP under Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003 for theft of electricity.

His father Mamlukur Rehman Barq was also booked for allegedly threatening officials during the inspection at their residence in the Deepa Sarai area, they said.

"An electricity inspection drive is underway in Sambhal even today. A fine of Rs 1.91 crore has been imposed on the MP by the electricity department and the power supply to his residence has been disconnected," Sambhal superintending engineer Vinod Kumar told PTI.

According to the FIR lodged by the electricity department, an inspection team found evidence of electricity theft by bypassing the meter and confirmed illegal power use. The inspection was conducted on Thursday morning amid heavy security at the MP's residence.

Rehman is among those booked in connection with the 24 November violence in which four locals were killed in a clash with security personnel during a court-ordered survey of the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid in the city's Kot Garvi area.

Superintendent of police (Sambhal) Krishna Kumar Bishnoi had earlier told reporters that at 7.30 am on Thursday, the electricity department's Santosh Tripathi was tasked with checking power equipment in the Deepa Sarai area.

During the inspection at the MP's residence, Mamlukur Rehman Barq abused engineers V.K. Gangal and Ajay Kumar Sharma and obstructed government work, he said.

The SP said Barq told the engineer that "the dispensation will change and we will ruin you". The incident has been video recorded by the electricity department. "A case has been registered at the Nakhasa police station against Barq and two others — Wasim and Salman — under relevant provisions of the law," Bishnoi added.

Vinod Kumar said the MP's residence had two connections of two kilowatts each. One in Zia Ur Rehman's name and another in his late grandfather's name. Two days ago, smart meters were installed at the MP's residence and in the last six months, the meters showed zero unit consumption, a power department official said.

He added that when the premises were checked on Thursday a 16.48 kilowatt load was found at his place. When both his electricity meters were sent to the lab, it was found in the MRI test that both the meters were tampered with.

During the check today, engineers Ajay Sharma and V.K. Gangal claimed that they were threatened by the MP's father. A complaint has been lodged with the police in this regard, he said.