Delhi court grants bail to 4 accused in case of oxygen concentrators hoarding in Khan market restaurants

A Delhi Court on Wednesday granted bail to four accused arrested in connection with a case relating to the allegedly hoarding of oxygen concentrators in restaurants in South Delhi including, Matrix Cellular CEO Gaurav Khanna.

While granting bail to the four accused, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Arun Kumar Garg asked them to furnish a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 50,000.

Other than Khanna, the three accused in the case--Gaurav Suri, Satish Sethi, Vikrant-- were granted bail by the magistrate Court.

The Court also imposed conditions that the accused shall not directly or indirectly try to influence the witnesses, shall not in any manner tamper with the evidence and shall join the investigation as and when directed by the investigating officer.

However, the Court said that it will announce the verdict on the bail pleas of the fifth arrested accused Hitesh Kumar, tomorrow.

Yesterday the Court has reserved the order on their bail pleas and slammed Delhi Police for coming out with a government notification on May 7 relating to the selling of COVID-19 equipment not above the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) but registering the FIR in the present matter on May 5, two days before the notification.

The court has said that the "job of the government is not like a terrorist..." and they have to follow the law. The court also pointed out that they cannot penalise people before framing any law and then they have to fill the vacuum when there is no law.

The court was hearing the bail pleas of Khanna, Gaurav Suri, Satish Sethi, Vikrant and Hitesh Kumar, which was opposed by Delhi Police.

Delhi Police has registered a case under various offences dealing with cheating, disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant, criminal conspiracy and violating provisions of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 followed by seizing of oxygen Concentrators from restaurants in South Delhi.

The police have busted oxygen concentrators black-marketing racket during a raid and recovered 105 concentrators from two upscale restaurants in the Khan Market area.

The two restaurants namely Khan Chacha and Town Hall are owned by Navneet Kalra, who is allegedly on run.

( With inputs from ANI )