MLA Parikshit Let’s house and the wires that have been drawn (circled) from overhead cables. (Partha Biswas)

Sagardighi (Murshidabad), May 8: The CPM legislator from Sagardighi, Parikshit Let, has allegedly been drawing power from overhead cables for his new house at Shamshabad village.

Villagers said they had detected the power pilferage three months ago, but did not dare complain as it was the MLA’s house.

Let blamed his bodyguard for the hooking. “I have not yet taken a power connection for my new house. My guard has done it. It was a very unwise thing to do. I will disconnect the illegal connection in a couple of days,” he said.

Security guard Asim Ghosh was not available for comment.

Let has an old mud house in the village. He constructed a two-storey brick house 40 metres from the old one about four months ago. Wires hooked to overhead electric cables can be seen outside the building.

“We had been mute witnesses to the theft for a long time. Initially, we were afraid but then we felt enough was enough,” said Bibhas Let, a grocer.

According to the Electricity Act, power theft can lead to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 50,000.

“We are poor people. Even then we pay our electric bills. How could we tolerate a people’s representative stealing power?” asked Shyamali Let, a housewife.