Canadian NRI family alleges harassment by Power Corporation, writes to CM Mann
Babushahi Bureau
Jandiala Guru (Punjab), July 12, 2025: A prominent NRI family from Canada has accused the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) of harassment and negligence, after receiving a power bill of ₹33,500 for their house, which they claim has been shut and unused for the past 11 months.
In a strongly worded open letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh, and PSPCL officials in Jandiala Guru, Gurmeet Kaur Kanwal Supatni and Kanwaljit Singh Kanwal, a senior journalist with Punjabi TV in Canada, expressed outrage over the alleged misuse of their closed property in their absence.
“We left for Canada in September last year, and our house has remained closed since then. Upon returning due to a family tragedy, we were shocked to receive a message from PSPCL demanding ₹33,500 for electricity charges — despite the electricity being off when we entered the house,” they stated.
The NRI family has alleged the possibility of an illegal ‘Kundi connection’ (unauthorized electricity tapping) being operated from their property, potentially with the connivance of local PSPCL staff.
“Who was running electricity from our closed house? Under whose protection? This is not the first time — we have previously reported a similar incident,” they noted.
The family has urged the Chief Minister to investigate the matter thoroughly and take strict legal action against any official involved, demanding justice and protection for NRI-owned properties in Punjab.
“Will the Punjab government stand by its promise to protect the life and property of NRIs? Or will such exploitation of NRI properties continue under the cover of departmental negligence?” they questioned.
The incident has reignited concern among the NRI community about property safety in Punjab, with calls for better safeguards and transparency in handling NRI-related grievances.As of now, PSPCL has not released an official response to the allegations.