Oxygen concentrators hoarding case: Delhi Police seeks five more days custody of businessman Navneet Kalra
May 20, 2021
New Delhi [India], May 20 : The Delhi Police on Thursday sought five more days of custody of businessman Navneet Kalra, accused in a case relating to alleged hoarding of oxygen concentrators in South Delhi.
The Delhi Police submitted, "We need his custody to confront him with the transactions done through mobile phones and around 23 banks are involved and these things have to be confronted with the accused."
The submissions of additional Public Prosecutor (PP) Atul Shrivastava representing Delhi Police came while seeking Kalra's further remand.
The Delhi Police on Thursday virtually produced Kalra and sought five days further remand of him.
Additional Public Prosecutor representing Delhi Police submitted that the investigating agency should be given enough time to complete the investigation.
Metropolitan Magistrate Akasnsha Garg after noting the submissions of both sides reserved the order. The order on the remand application will be passed by the court today evening.
Senior Advocate Vikas Pahwa appearing for accused Kalra strongly opposed the remand application and submitted that Kalra is fully cooperating in the investigation and no more police custody is required.
Meanwhile Advocate Vineet Malhotra, also appearing for Navneet Kalra also moved his bail application but an argument on the bail did not take place due to lack of time.
Advocate Vineet Malhotra submitted, There are allegations of low quality of oxygen concentrators against my client but Bollywood actor Salman Khan has also imported the same Oxygen concentrators. Even SpiceJet imported the same machines."
Responding to this, the Delhi Police counsel said that Salman Khan distributed the concentrators in charity and is doing this for needy people that too free of cost but Kalra made money from these oxygen concentrators.
Earlier, the Court had remanded businessman Navneet Kalra to three days police custody and said custodial interrogation of the accused is required for recovery of electronic devices used for the purpose of the commission of alleged offenses, to recover the remaining oxygen concentrators, to identify the other victims exploited by him.
The court had further observed that Kalra's custodial interrogation is required for a detailed investigation regarding his involvement, financial transactions, co-accused associates involved in the present case, connections with Matrix and Classic Metals as well as the manner of procurement of oxygen concentrators.
On May 7, the Delhi Police had busted an oxygen concentrators black-marketing racket during a raid and recovered 105 such concentrators from two upscale restaurants in the city's Khan Market area. The two restaurants namely Khan Chacha and Town Hall are owned by Navneet Kalra.
The Delhi Police has registered a case under various offenses dealing with cheating, disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant, criminal conspiracy, and violating provisions of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 following the seizure of oxygen concentrators from restaurants in South Delhi.
