Two Vasai residents, including a senior citizen, have alleged that they have been compelled to stay without electricity for six months after the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Corporation Ltd (MSEDCL) snapped their supply at the behest of a local developer who wants to purchase their properties.
Details of case
According to Harishchandra Sharma, 61, and Gangaram Prajapati, 59, they have been living and maintaining their garages on the plot since 1993 and 1989, respectively. The duo said that they had taken the land on a 99-year lease from the original land owner Mula Vaje. They further contended that they have rent receipts, assessment tax and electricity metres in their names to corroborate their claim.
Moving the Bombay High Court against the MSEDCL, both the petitioners alleged that Devendra Jain, proprietor of Mangalmurti Developers, had sent some men to their garages. They asked the duo to vacate the plot while offering a price of Rs10 lakh per guntha. Upon refusal, the developer sent bulldozers and threatened to demolish their structures, said the duo, adding that even a tin sheet barricade has been erected around their plot.
HC directs MSEDCL to restore supply to Sharma & Prajapati till next hearing
They averred that the MSEDCL snapped their connections despite regularly paying bills from the time when they took the plot on lease. After filing a complaint with the power distributor, their connection status was changed from 'permanently disconnected' to 'live'. However, the supply was not restored in reality, said the petition. The duo was represented by their counsels Anjani Kumar Singh and Siddh Vidya while Lexcorp Partners appeared on behalf of the developer.
Recently, the HC directed the MSEDCL to restore the supply to Sharma and Prajapati till the next hearing on January 23, 2024. “We find, that at least prima facie, once the electricity bills are paid and/or payment is tendered, the electricity connection ought to be restored,” said the court.
