I missed the electricity bill payment for my dad’s clinic, and on October 29, a lineman came by and removed the fuse from the electricity meter. I paid the bill the same day, but they still haven’t returned the fuse.

When I raised a complaint, they had the audacity to call me today and tell I’d have to go to their office, show proof of payment, and only then would they give the fuse back.

Isn’t the fuse technically my property? If so, doesn’t taking it like this count as theft?

They also added a penalty in the bill for late payment, so if a penalty was already applied, what’s the justification for physically taking the fuse?

I’m thinking of filing an RTI to get clarity on this, but I’m not sure how to word the question. Also, is it possible to file a police complaint for theft or take this to court for compensation?

this is the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board btw.

ps: my goal isn't getting the fuse back as my dad got a fuse from a nearby store right after the lineman left, so that's not the problem. i just wanna check these out and file some complaints to see how everything works.