Topic: Complaint Against BEST for Illegal Electricity Wheeling Charges

• Main Issue: BEST is illegally collecting “wheeling charges” from regular electricity users, which is not allowed under the Electricity Act, 2003.
• Wheeling Charges Meaning: These charges are only allowed when one company uses another company’s electricity wires – not for direct consumers.
• What BEST Did: BEST does not offer “Open Access” (required to charge wheeling fees), but is still collecting these charges wrongly from people.
• Law Broken: According to the law, tariff and wheeling charges must be kept separate. BEST mixed them up and added illegal charges.
• Regulatory Failure: MERC cannot give permission for such charges to regular customers, but BEST misrepresented facts and fooled them.
• No Reply to Legal Notice: Even after getting a legal notice in February 2025, BEST did not respond, showing disregard for consumer rights.
• Criminal Offences: Several IPC sections apply – cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust, manipulation of financial records.
• Accused: Senior BEST officers and Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) for allowing this illegal charge.
• Request: Police should register an FIR and take legal action. Public money must be protected from such fraud.