Tanishaa Mukerji Calls Maharashtra Electricity Board a ‘Mafia’ Over Lonavala Power Bills

Taking to X on Tuesday, Mukerji criticised the Maharashtra State Electricity Board over what she claimed was an unfair approach to billing and disconnection.

“Maharashtra state electricity board in lonavala are behaving like mafia! They are giving huge bills and forcing payment by cutting off electricity,” she wrote.

The actress further alleged that electricity officials had arrived to disconnect power even before the payment deadline had passed.

“This is just criminal! Coming on a Saturday evening to cut off the electricity even if it is before the due date and just holding people hostage,” Mukerji wrote.

She also tagged several political leaders and Tata Power while calling for greater oversight of electricity services in Lonavala.

“Please come to Lonavala! There is no regulation. They are just doing whatever they want! #inhuman,” she added.

Her comments come amid broader complaints from consumers in Maharashtra regarding unexpectedly high electricity bills, particularly following the introduction of smart meters by Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), also known as Mahavitaran.

Consumers in areas including Thane, Vasai-Virar, Palghar and Ulhasnagar have reported significant increases in their bills compared with earlier consumption patterns, with some linking the spikes to the replacement of conventional meters with smart meters.

In one recent case in Nagpur, a household was reportedly billed Rs 1.44 lakh for 348 units of electricity. MSEDCL subsequently acknowledged a mismatch in the meter reading and revised the bill to approximately Rs 13,800.

MSEDCL has maintained that smart meters do not inherently result in higher electricity consumption and has said that disputed readings can be investigated through meter testing.

In Thane, the electricity distributor announced plans to install conventional check meters alongside around 20 to 25 per cent of newly installed smart meters. The readings would then be compared over a period of two to three months to assess discrepancies.

Authorities have also organised grievance camps and deployed technical teams to investigate complaints involving disputed electricity bills and meters.

Mukerji's comments add to the public discussion around billing complaints in Maharashtra, with consumers continuing to seek clarification and resolution in cases involving unusually high electricity charges.