My old employer had this happen as well (OK, a variation)
They filed the permit, and installed a temp service to the site. Got into a "discussion" concerning $15k in payment owed by the GC for previous job. EC told him "until I get paid for what has been completed (and sold), no work on the new site".
Well, one day, my foreman drove by the job site, and saw "Electrical Company X" on the site. He stopped by the AHJ, and... oops! They must have forgotten to pull a permit when they scabbed, err uhh "took over" the rough-in.
Luckily, our company was on good terms with the AHJ - he went over and wound up red tagging the whole site for "permit review" for a week or two...
