New Delhi: Launching crackdown against those indulging in black marketing of oxygen concentrators, the Delhi Police on Friday, 96 Oxygen Concentrators were found illegally stored in the famous Khan Chacha restaurant located at Khan Market in south Delhi. Till now, Delhi Police is said to have raided at least three restaurants in the last 24 hours and recovered at least 524 oxygen concentrators illegally stored. Earlier on Thursday, the police seized 419 concentrators from a south Delhi restaurant, reports news agency IANS. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) South Delhi Atul Bhatia said that during area patrolling, Nege Ju Restaurant and Bar located at central market Lodhi Colony was found open and some suspicious activity was going on.

“After searching the restaurant one person was found sitting on a laptop and he was getting orders for oxygen concentrators through Xpect Everything, an online portal and on searching the restaurant premises, a total of 32 boxes of Oxygen Concentrators having capacity of 9 litre and 5 litre each and one box of thermal scanner and another box containing N95 masks were found,” he said.

Bhatia said that after verification, the owner of the restaurant and bar was identified as one Navneet Kalra. He said that a case was registered under several sections of IPC, Essential Commodities Act and Epidemic Diseases Act and four accused persons — Gaurav, Satish Sethi, Vikrant and Hitesh were taken into custody.

On interrogation, the accused persons disclosed about their warehouse in Khullar Farm, Mandi Village, Bhatia said. “On further investigation, a search was conducted and 387 more units of Oxygen Concentrators were recovered which were being sold at exorbitant rates in black market,” he said, adding that invoices of these oxygen concentrators being sold over Rs 70,000 were also recovered.

Further investigation is being carried out and efforts are being made to recover more concentrators and nab more offenders who are behind this black marketing racket, he added.

(With inputs from IANS)