Reliance Energy goes on power trip without paying Rs 1,451 crore

Mumbai: A right to information (RTI) query has revealed that businessman Anil Ambani’s M/s Reliance Energy has not paid electricity duty and other taxes amounting to Rs 1,451 crore to the state government, despite recovering it from the customers. The issue came to light after social activist Anil Galgali filed an RTI had sought to know the status of electricity duty and electricity tax paid by Reliance Energy to the state government.

The reply furnished by the electricity inspector of Santacruz division Minakshi Wathore stated that Reliance has recovered Rs 591,50,53,500 in the last five months from June 2017 to October 2017 in the different heads of electricity duty, electricity tax, toss and green cess as per prescribed rate, but failed to transfer it to the government. When contacted, Reliance Energy declined to comment on the issue.   While electricity inspector at Mumbai Central division informed that from Oct 2016 to May 2017 under the different heads Reliance has recovered Rs 8,60,18,61,700 from the customers but did not transfer the money to the state exchequer.

Mr Galgali shot a letter to CM Fadnavis demanding stern action against Ambani’s Reliace company and also against concerned officials. “I have asked the CM to recover the money from Reliance with penalty and conduct the audit of their other activities too. The government should suspend the distribution rights of Reliance Energy till it does not follow the rule book.”