Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd. (Mahavitaran) has detected alleged electricity theft worth ₹18,38,948 at Devkripa Agro in Sarde Wadi, Indapur, after inspectors found the facility’s meter disabled while its machinery continued operating. A case has been registered against the unit’s caretakers, Vikram Jotiram Jadhav and Sachin Nalwade, at Indapur police station.
The inspection was conducted on 24 August 2026 by Mahavitaran’s Pune city flying squad, led by additional executive engineer Vidya Jadhav, at the facility located in Gat No. 71/2. According to the inspection findings reported by Mahavitaran, the meter had been tampered with by loosening phase screws and inserting a screwdriver into the terminal of the R phase.
The inspection team found that the meter was not recording consumption even though machinery at the factory was operating. Mahavitaran estimated that 84,181 units of electricity had been illegally consumed over 13 months, resulting in a calculated loss of ₹18,38,948 to the distribution company.
The case also involved a connected load of 43.166 kilowatts. Mahavitaran had determined a settlement amount of ₹6.70 lakh in relation to the theft, but the amount was not paid, according to the report. The utility subsequently filed a police complaint against the two caretakers.
Police seized the meter-related material, video footage of the inspection and other evidence, and have begun further investigation. The case places the focus on the vulnerability of electricity metering systems at industrial and agro-processing premises, where machinery can continue to draw power even when consumption is not being recorded accurately.
The police investigation will examine the alleged tampering, the role of the accused caretakers and the evidence collected during the Mahavitaran inspection. The utility’s complaint and supporting material will form part of the investigation into the alleged theft and the recovery of the outstanding amount.
