Dhaka: After the news published on Barta24.com under the title ‘Yusuf Ali is cursed after being caught stealing electricity’, the Power Department (Renewable Energy-1 Branch) has formed an investigation committee. Although he was optimistic about the formation of the investigation committee, Yusuf Ali expressed extreme disappointment and apprehension about their activities.
Yusuf Ali told Barta24.com, the members of the investigation committee did not believe anything I said and did not even care about anything I said, rather they scared me more, if you find out where you are keeping the meter, otherwise a case will be filed against you and then you will understand how it feels. This investigation committee is just an excuse and nothing else. Otherwise, why would they scare me, besides, despite saying that I have proper evidence, why did the committee members not take any evidence!
I first greeted and entered inside, after entering, they asked me to sit, I sat down, after sitting down, they asked me how you went to the customer’s establishment, why didn’t you go there first, I then said sir, I didn’t go there first. I am sending two of my men there to give a letter of increase in load; their names are Nizamuddin and Farid Dafadar. They are linemen. They went to the customer's meter number and found that both meters were down and unsealed. Then they called me, I then went to the customer's establishment.
After going, the meter's base plate, unsealed and both meters were down, then I came to the office and informed the executive engineer sir. Then sir saw the two stipends of the bill and asked me to cut the line. Then I said sir, I cannot cut the line alone. Send your DPDC team, then call the control and Lokman's team will come. I along with Lokman's team went to the customer's establishment. After going, first seal the meter and then disconnect the connection from the pole. Nizamuddin and I write a confession. Then there is no signature of the customer. I have left the meter in the custody of the customer, he seals it. Every month he gives Tk. 10 thousand to the meter reader Abbas, there is no confession. Then we all go to the office.
Then they asked me, why did you go to give the letter and why did you give the responsibility to me? I said that the executive engineer sir can say that, I don't know, they told me that everyone at the customer's establishment has given witness against you that you have opened the meter and brought it, I then asked who gave witness, then they said that the customers gave deposition and your linemen also gave witness, then I said which of my linemen signed it! You can call Team Leader Lokman and see. Then Nurul Afsar (member of the investigation committee, director of the electrical equipment department of the Power Development Board) called Sir Lokman. After giving the call, Lokman said that first we seal the meter and then disconnect the connection from the pole. We left from there with a confession.
They asked me who entered the seal in the register book and who understood the seal. I said that sir, the meter has been entered in the register book, this is his document, then Nurul Afsar sir said that this is the register book, not the entry book; I said again that this is the entry book of the register. Then they did not believe me and said it is not a ledger, I said sir, after the meter is opened from the customer's premises, an entry is made here and how many units are in the meter is entered here. They did not listen to anything I said. They said it is not a register entry ledger but I challenged it and it is a register entry ledger. Even then they did not believe me.
I said sir, I spoke to the customer and the customer admitted to me that he did not say anything about me. I did not open the meter; the electricity office person opened it. Even then they did not believe me. I said that I have the call record. Then he said that I have the call record. I said that the customer installed the line himself, I have his video. The same thing is being said repeatedly by the Senior Assistant Secretary Sir, everyone is accusing you that you have opened the meter. I said that sir, if I open the meter and bring it, is there any video evidence, then the Senior Assistant Secretary (Electricity Department) Mazharul Islam Sir told me that the sun rises from the east and sets in the west, is there any evidence of that!
I said sir, I have call records, video footage and you can see them. The senior secretary sir said they have no value. Leave them. You don't have to see them. I wanted to submit all the information including call records, video footage, meter store submissions, customer confessions, but he didn't keep them.
The customer accused of theft was supposed to be punished and Yusuf Ali was supposed to get a reward as an employee, but Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) did the opposite. Fearing that the syndicate involved in electricity theft would be caught, it dismissed the technical supervisor Yusuf Ali from his job. And all these ridiculous allegations were brought against him. Which do not fall under his authority or responsibility? The reason for the dismissal was mentioned, not collecting the actual reading of the customer's actual electricity consumption meter, taking unclear screenshots.
Yusuf Ali is also not a man to be silenced; he has also thrown a challenge. He has written a written application saying that taking meter readings and taking screenshots is not our responsibility. These are the work of the commercial supervisor. He also wrote that if I am responsible, I will definitely take the punishment. If not, I want my job back.
How the incident began
Musa Majid (43/A), a resident of Eskaton area, was using additional load as per the meter record. Letter for unauthorized additional load increase when it came to paying, tampering was detected in both meters (reading much lower than the bill). Before the tampering was detected, 246 units were being used in the month of May (2024). The previous month was 262 units. The minimum bill was 144 to the maximum 477 units. In the meantime, the bill has fluctuated. And after the tampering was detected, the bill for 2940 and 2501 units of electricity in October (2024) and November (2024) was 42,238 taka and 36,056 taka respectively. DPDC has found a bill for 25 to 30 thousand taka against that meter 8 years ago (before tampering) which fluctuated from 2 to a maximum of Tk. 4.5 thousand in the previous months. After the installation of the new meter, the bill was Tk. 42 thousand even in winter, meaning that there was an incident of electricity theft of more than Tk. 40 thousand every month.
It has been alleged that DPDC's outsourcing company (Moon Power Engineering) coordinator Mominul Haque, DPDC's Kakrail Zone Superintendent Engineer Hanif Uddin and DPDC's Director (Admin) Sonamoni Chakma are conspiring in various ways to save accused Musa Majid. Many people are involved in DPDC's Kakrail Zone and head office.
Investigation committee member Nurul Afsar (Director of Electrical Equipment Directorate of Power Development Board) told Barta24.com, we have submitted the report. I cannot comment on this. If you have anything to say, talk to the head of the investigation committee.
When Yusuf Ali's complaint was brought to his attention, he said, anyone can file a complaint against anyone. I do not want to comment further.