Court refuses stay on coercive action against Kalra over oxygen concentrators found in his hotel

A Delhi Court Monday refused to grant any stay on coercive action against businessman Navneet Kalra in connection with the seizure of oxygen concentrators from his restaurants 'Khan Chacha' by the Delhi Police. Kalra, against whom the Delhi Police's Crime Branch has launched a manhunt, moved the Saket Court seeking anticipatory bail in the case.

Special Judge Sumit Dass has directed the Investigating Officer (IO) to file the reply to the application by tomorrow.

"No stay on Delhi Police's coercive action," the court said. The judge will take up the matter at noon tomorrow.


During the course of proceedings, Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastva opposed the pre-arrest bail application.

The Public Prosecutor also asked the court, "It is a case of the Crime Branch. Is this a suitable court for it?"

The accused's counsel Advocate Vineet Malhotra told the court that his client is being "hounded" and sought pre-arrest bail.

On Thursday, 419 oxygen concentrators were recovered from another restaurant owned by Kalra and a farmhouse in south Delhi.

Four men were arrested during the raids. The oxygen concentrators had been imported from China by a private company.

Kalra has been absconding since the raids and his mobile phone has been switched off, according to police.

On Saturday, the police transferred the case to the Crime Branch.