Tej Pratap's power bill blues: RJD leader faces Rs 3.6 lakh electricity dues at private residence
Patna (The Uttam Hindu): Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's elder son and former minister Tej Pratap Yadav is once again embroiled in controversy. After the crushing defeat in the recently concluded assembly elections, a new problem has now arisen before him. Shocking information has come to light regarding the electricity bill of his private residence in Beur, Patna. According to departmental data, Tej Pratap Yadav has not paid the electricity bill of his house for the last three years, due to which he now owes more than Rs 3.6 lakh to the electricity company.
According to reports, Tej Pratap Yadav may have been living in a government bungalow for a long time as an MLA, but he also owns a private house in Beohar. Electricity department records show that the bill for the connection on this house (consumer account number 101232456) has not been paid since July 2022. According to records, he last paid approximately ₹14,000 on July 20, 2022. After that, he continued to use electricity, but the bill remained unpaid. The total outstanding amount has now reached ₹324,974, including a penalty of over ₹23,000.
The biggest question in this case is the electricity department's working style and "VIP culture." According to electricity company rules, a typical consumer's postpaid connection is immediately disconnected if they have a balance of more than 25,000 rupees. However, in Tej Pratap's case, the department has shown remarkable generosity. Despite arrears of lakhs, his electricity was not disconnected for three years, nor was any strict action taken.
It's also surprising that while a campaign to install smart prepaid meters to avoid outstanding dues is underway across Bihar, Tej Pratap's house still has an old postpaid meter. This negligence or special favoritism by the department has raised questions about whether rules and regulations are made only for the general public. At present, accountability for this massive outstanding amount is yet to be determined.