Delhi restaurateur Navneet Kalra 'imported' 7,500 concentrators

NEW DELHI: Initial probe and analysis of documents and invoices by Delhi Police in the case of seizure of over 500 oxygen concentrators have allegedly shown that between April 17 and May 3, restaurateur Navneet Kalra and his aides from Matrix Cellular procured 7,500 concentrators worth Rs 13 crore.


In April, around 5,200 units were apparently delivered by Kalra and team whereas 1,858 units were sold in the first three-four days of May. "We are still going through the documents, but most of these concentrators, it seems clear, were bought at a rate of Rs 14,000-18,000. There are twothree consignments which came for around Rs 23,000-24,000 each,” a senior police officer told TOI. DCP (South) Atul Thakur said invoices showing the concentrators having been sold for Rs 70,000 and more have been seized.

19 O2 concentrators seized, 3 caught in another raid

The procurements, done through Matrix Cellular, were undertaken by an import agent firm, Classic Metals. The cops are in the process of questioning the employees of this firm as well.

Matrix, whose CEO and vice-president have been arrested in the case, has claimed that the transactions were legitimate and payments accepted digitally.

The police has filed an FIR under IPC sections pertaining to cheating, violating public order and criminal conspiracy apart from sections of Epidemic Diseases Act and Essential Commodities Act.

The cops are now conducting raids at five-six places to nab Kalra and his associates. The crime branch has taken over the probe, as first reported byTOIon Saturday, and an SIT has been formed to interrogate the arrested men.

Meanwhile, continuing its crackdown on hoarders of concentrators and blackmarketers, Delhi Police has arrested three people and seized 19 imported machines in west Delhi. According to Urvija Goel DCP (West), these concentrators cost Rs 30,000 each but were sold for Rs 1.3 lakh by the gang.

The accused have been identified as Bharat Aggarwal, Ishant Gosain and Ranbir Singh. Three cars and Rs 7.8 lakh in cash has also been recovered. The police conducted a raid after receiving a tip-off from an informer. A case under the Epidemic Act and for cheating has been registered.

While district deputy commissioners of police enlisted the actions taken on these fronts, the police chief told them to obtain orders from courts as early as possible for release of the seized stuff so that they could be put to use for needy patients.Shrivastava also asked them to intensify action against Covid online fraudsters in coordination with the cyber cell and crime branch for inter-state investigation as most of the calls were originating from Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, MP and Mewat.