Delhi Police issue lookout notice against owner of restaurants from where oxygen concentrators were seized

Delhi Police on Monday issued a look-out-circular (LoC) against businessman Naveent Kalra, who owns the three establishments including Khan Chacha in Khan Market from where police recovered oxygen concentrators. This comes amid fears that he might try to flee from the country to evade arrest.

Investigation into the case has been transferred to the inter-state-cell of the crime branch. During investigation, it was found that Matrix Cellular Services Ltd, an international SIM company accused of black-marketing oxygen concentrators, allegedly procured more than 7,000 machines from local vendors and Chinese companies and sold them at “exorbitant rates” to Covid patients and their families.

On Saturday, police arrested the company’s CEO Gaurav Khanna and Vice President Gaurav Suri along with three other employees. The accused have been booked under Sections related to cheating, Epidemic Diseases Act, and Essential Commodities Act.

Police said they had recovered 524 concentrators from two top restaurants — Town Hall and Khan Chacha — in Khan Market, Nege Ju in Lodhi Colony, and Matrix’s warehouse in Chhatarpur’s Mandi Village. All three restaurants are owned by businessman Navneet Kalra.

Police claim Kalra, who is now absconding, worked with his friend Gagan Duggal, owner of Matrix Cellular Services, to sell the equipment. “We have sent our request to FRRO, asking them to open an LoC against him. We have already opened an LoC on Sunday night,” a senior police officer said.

Raids are being conducted by the Delhi Police in several areas of South Delhi. They are also approaching the contacts of Kalra to get clues about his whereabouts.

Police on Friday had said that the accused imported the equipment at Rs 16,000 to Rs 22,000 each and sold it at around Rs 70,000.