Chandigarh, March 13 (IANS) Haryana power utility officials have been directed to register first information reports (FIRs) against consumers found stealing electricity.

Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) managing director Anurag Aggarwal told senior officials at a meeting Saturday that it is obligatory to get an FIR lodged under provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003.

The act provides for three years imprisonment and penalty for power theft. Aggarwal said that first time offenders can pay fine and avoid punitive actions.

Aggarwal disclosed that under a special campaign launched by the DHBVN since December, 2009, 11,475 cases of power theft have been detected in 46,800 raids. A penalty of Rs.20 crore has been imposed on erring consumers.

The highest number of cases of thefts has been detected in Bhiwani district (3,518) followed by Hisar (2,944), Faridabad (1.881), Gurgaon (1,594), Narnaul (809) and Sirsa (613).