History
The Anti Power Theft Squad was formed in 1983 to combat the growing menace of electricity theft in Tamil Nadu. In 2002, the squad was reorganized and renamed the Enforcement Wing to better reflect its expanded role in detecting and preventing unauthorized use of electricity, meter tampering, and power pilferage across the state.
Organization
The Enforcement Wing operates with 17 Enforcement Squads, each headed by an Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE). These squads are organized into 4 main divisions and 2 additional units:
Divisional Offices
| Division | Headquarters | Coverage Area |
|---|---|---|
| Enforcement Division I | Chennai | Chennai and surrounding districts |
| Enforcement Division II | Coimbatore | Western Tamil Nadu |
| Enforcement Division III | Madurai | Southern Tamil Nadu |
| Enforcement Division IV | Trichy | Central Tamil Nadu |
Additional Units
- Flying Squad / Chennai — A rapid-response unit based in Chennai for conducting surprise inspections and raids on suspected power theft cases
- Intelligence Wing — Gathers intelligence on organized power theft networks and supports enforcement operations with data-driven targeting
Supervision & Control
The Enforcement Wing is supervised by the Superintending Engineer / Enforcement, Chennai, and is controlled by the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) / Vigilance / TANGEDCO. This dual supervision ensures both technical expertise in electrical matters and law enforcement capability for prosecution of offenders.
Functions
- Detection of unauthorized use of electricity and power theft
- Inspection of meters for tampering, bypassing, or hooking
- Assessment and recovery of charges for pilfered energy
- Filing of criminal cases under Section 135 of the Electricity Act, 2003
- Conducting surprise raids based on intelligence inputs
- Investigation of abnormal consumption patterns
- Disconnection of unauthorized connections
- Awareness campaigns against power theft
Legal Framework
The Enforcement Wing operates under the provisions of the Electricity Act, 2003, particularly:
- Section 126 — Assessment for unauthorized use of electricity
- Section 135 — Theft of electricity (criminal offense, punishable with imprisonment up to 3 years and fine)
- Section 136 — Theft of electric lines and materials
- Section 138 — Compounding of offenses
Report Power Theft
Citizens can report suspected power theft through the following channels:
- Toll-free number: 1912
- Contact the nearest Enforcement Squad office
- Write to the Superintending Engineer / Enforcement, Chennai
- Online complaint through TANGEDCO website
All reports are treated confidentially. The identity of the complainant is not disclosed.