AP High Court Upholds Conviction of 84-Year-Old for Electricity Theft, Reduces Fine Due To Old Age
Case Name: Peram Venkata Reddy v. The State of Andhra Pradesh
The Andhra Pradesh High Court upheld the conviction of an 84-year-old man for electricity theft under Section 135(1)(a)(b) of the Electricity Act, 2003 reduced his fine from ₹2.7 lakh to ₹20,000.
The man was found guilty of tampering with the electricity meter and stealing power worth ₹44,859, as originally ruled by a Special Tribunal in Guntur.
Hearing his appeal under Section 374(2) CrPC, the Court noted his age and time already served in jail.
The Court noted that the original fine was excessive, and the man will be released once the ₹20,000 is paid to the electricity company.
