Oxygen Concentrator Seizure: Court Grants Bail to Gaurav Khanna

Matrix Cellular Vice-President Gaurav Suri and two others were also granted bail in connection with the case.

The police’s investigation revealed that the accused were hiding oxygen concentrators in two more restaurants in Khan Market.

(Photo: PTI/Altered by The Quint)

A Delhi Court on Wednesday, 12 May, granted bail to Matrix Cellular CEO Gaurav Khanna, Vice-President Gaurav Suri and two others in connection with the alleged black-marketing of oxygen concentrators.

The two others – Vikrant and Satish Sethi – are employees of the company.

The order was passed by Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Saket court, Arun Kumar Garg and the bail was subjected to a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and surety of a like amount.

The court granted bail in the case registered after a stock of oxygen concentrators was seized by the Delhi Police from locations in Lodhi Colony and Mehrauli last week. All five accused were arrested by the Delhi Police last week soon after the raids.

WHAT IS THE CASE ABOUT?

On 5 May, the police raided the Nege Ju restaurant in Lodhi Colony and found 32 oxygen concentrators. The same day, they arrested the manager, Hitesh Prakash, and three others – Gaurav, Satish Sethi and Vikrant Singh.

Later, a search was conducted and 387 more oxygen concentrators were recovered, which were being sold at exorbitant rates in the black market. Invoices of these oxygen concentrators showed that they were being sold for over Rs 70,000.

Further, on 7 May, Delhi Police seized 96 oxygen concentrators from Khan Chacha restaurant and another nine from Town Hall in Khan Market. Now, the total number of oxygen concentrators seized stands at 524.

It may be noted that all three restaurants are owned by Navneet Kalra.

This came in the wake of Delhi facing a severe shortage of oxygen over the last few weeks and people being duped online while paying ridiculously high for oxygen concentrators.

THE MATTER OF NAVNEET KALRA

A Delhi court on Tuesday refused to grant relief to Kalra, who owns Khan Chacha and Town Hall restaurants in Delhi, in connection with the case. The matter was heard earlier on 10 May when the court refused to grant interim relief.

The Delhi Police has issued a look-out notice against the businessman, reported news agency ANI.

A case under various sections dealing with cheating, disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant, criminal conspiracy, and violating provisions of Essential Commodities Act, 1955, has been filed against Kalra, following the seizure of over 500 oxygen concentrators from his restaurants in the national capital.

According to the Delhi Police, it is suspected that Kalra and his family have left Delhi. Teams have been formed and raids are being conducted in Delhi-NCR and neighbouring states, the cops added.

(With inputs from ANI and IANS.